


Durinson's Coffee

by Jestana



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-26
Updated: 2017-07-07
Packaged: 2018-01-06 04:31:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 33,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1102430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jestana/pseuds/Jestana
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ori stumbles into a coffee shop to get out of the rain.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Ze

**Author's Note:**

  * For [umbralillium](https://archiveofourown.org/users/umbralillium/gifts).



> A Christmas gift, inspired by [this](http://charliechick117.tumblr.com/post/70433616419) tweet from Graham McTavish. How could I resist making a coffeeshop!au? And I have ideas for a sequel already. No beta.

Ori ducked into the first shop he found when the rain started pouring down. He was too concerned about his bag at first, ensuring the laptop inside hadn't gotten wet. He couldn't afford a new one yet. He breathed a sigh of relief that the bag had done its job and kept his laptop dry. That's when he the smell of coffee registered and he looked around, noticing that the coffee shop had a warm, cozy feel to it, with people sitting in small groups, talking quietly. A couple people sat alone, working on laptops. Finally, Ori looked at the counter and swallowed hard. One of the tallest men he'd ever seen stood behind it, a dark green sweater stretching across his broad shoulders and a scar bisecting his right eyebrow. Clutching the strap of his bag in both hands, he approached the counter. The man wore a name badge that said 'Dwalin' on it. "Welcome to Durinson's Coffee. What would you like?"

"Oh! Um." Ori could feel his cheeks heating over his stammer, lifting his eyes to the menu on the back wall, fidgeting with the strap. The man's voice was deep and gravelly with a slight Scottish burr to it, sending a shiver down Ori's spine. He focused on the menu, hoping to find something fairly cheap. "A hot chocolate, please."

A smile twitched at the corners of Dwalin's mouth. "What size?"

"Small is fine." Ori fumbled in his pockets for his wallet.

He nearly dropped it when Dwalin reached for a cup and wrote on the side. The sleeves of his sweater were pushed up past his elbows, revealing tanned and tattooed forearms. "What's your name, laddie?"

"Ori." His heart hammered in his chest and he swore his cheeks were on fire.

Muscles rippled as the taller man wrote Ori's name on the cup, setting it to one side. Then he entered Ori's order on the cash register. "That'll be $3.45."

He carefully counted out the money and offered it to Dwalin. "Here."

Dwalin accepted the money, his thick, tanned fingers brushing Ori's pale skinny ones. "It'll be ready in a few moments."

"Okay. Thanks." Ori shuffled to a table that had a good view of the counter and set his bag down on it.

He was still in the process of wrestling his laptop out of it when that gravelly voice called, "Ori!"

Leaving his bag, Ori retrieved his hot chocolate, wrapping his cold hands around the cup gratefully. He returned to his table and finished wrestling his laptop out. Just as he'd set it to boot up, his phone chirped in his pocket, alerting him to a text message. Pulling it out, he groaned when he saw that it was from Dori: _Ori, are you all right?_

 _I'm fine._ He texted back. _Out of the rain._

 _You didn't slip and fall, did you?_ Ori stifled a groan of dismay. Honestly, from the way Dori fussed over him, you'd think he was still a kid instead of a grown man.

"Everything all right here, laddie?" The unfamiliar voice belonged to a man about the same height as Ori (maybe a little taller), his snow-white hair and beard neatly trimmed, his expression kind and polite.

Ori smiled sheepishly and quickly sent Dori a response, _No, I didn't, Mum._ Stuffing his phone into his pocket, he addressed the newcomer. "Yes, everything's fine."

"I'm Balin Fundinson and the behemoth behind the counter is my brother, Dwalin." Balin gestured behind him to where Dwalin was busy making drinks as a young man with golden hair took orders from the line of people.

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Ori Rison." He offered his hand with a shy smile.

Balin shook his hand, his smile genial and warm. "Welcome to Durinson's Coffee. I'll leave you to your work now."

"Thank you." Ori watched him return to the counter and murmur something to his brother. Dwalin nodded and continued his work.

Tearing his eyes away, Ori finally took a sip of his hot chocolate and turned his attention to his laptop, continuing his search for a job.

* * *

Dwalin learned a lot from watching Ori. He wore a lot of layers, but his fingers as he typed away on his laptop were long and slender. His light red-brown hair was a trifle long, constantly falling into his big brown eyes. He took good care of his laptop, almost obsessed with keeping it clean and neat. Unfortunately, Dwalin's only spoken with him to take his order (always a small hot chocolate that he slowly sipped as he sat in the coffee shop for a couple hours). Balin, Kíli, and Fíli have all spoken with Ori and shared the tidbits they picked up: "He has two older brothers, one of whom fusses over him to no end."

"He likes to read, said all that matters to him is that the story is good."

"Says he loves violin music, regardless of genre. Something about it is soothing to him."

Dwalin wished _he_ could speak to Ori himself, but the lad always managed to come and go between his breaks. If he didn't know better, he'd think Ori was doing it on purpose. Normally, on his days off, Dwalin didn't come to the shop, but today he made sure he was there a little before the time Ori usually came in, give or take. He sat down at Ori's usual table with a couple muffins and a mocaccino. He looked up in time to see Ori walk into the shop. Kíli, who was working the register, waved when he saw the lad. "Hi, Ori!"

"Hi, Kíli." Ori waved back and Dwalin could see him glancing around.

The two young men exchanged words and Ori shook his head at a question from Kíli. Then he turned and headed for the table, stumbling to a stop when he saw Dwalin. He raised a hand in greeting. "Hi, Ori."

"H'lo, Dwalin." Smiling shyly, he shuffled forward and set his bag on the table.

He glanced at Kíli, who shook his dark head slightly, and then back at Ori. "You're not thirsty today?"

"No, not today." Ori shook his head and busied himself with pulling his laptop out of his bag.

Dwalin looked closer at the lad. There were dark circles under his eyes and he was so pale that the light dusting of freckles across his nose and cheeks stood out easily. He watched the lad's hands as he opened his laptop and could see them shaking. He pushed one of the muffins towards Ori. "Here."

"That's _your_ muffin." Though Ori pushed the plate back towards Dwalin, his fingers lingered.

He shook his head and pushed the muffin towards him again. "Which means I can do what I like with it and I choose to give it to _you_."

After a moment, Ori pulled the muffin close and took a small bite, chewing slowly. Dwalin watched him, and then got up to approach the counter. Kíli smiled up at him. "What's up, Mr. Dwalin?"

"Give me a cup of water." He ordered the lad. "Please."

A moment later, it was in his hand. He returned to the table and set the cup beside Ori's muffin. He swallowed and looked at Dwalin curiously. "For me?"

"I didn't get it for me," he retorted with a gentle smile, sipping his drink pointedly.

Blushing, Ori took a long drink of the water. He fidgeted with the power cord for his laptop. "Kíli said this is your day off?"

"Usually." Dwalin nodded, watching as Ori nibbled at his muffin, as if he was trying to make it last. "Thorin does his best to work around our schedules."

Ori looked up curiously. "Thorin as in Fíli and Kíli's uncle?"

"And my cousin." He pushed his other muffin towards Ori. "He prefers to work evenings because that's when his boyfriend can come in and ogle him."

A blush reddened Ori's cheeks and he quickly took a sip of his water, only to start choking. Dwalin quickly stood up and pounded on the lad's back. After a moment, Ori held up his hand and he stopped. His voice hoarse, Ori told him, "I'm okay."

"You sure?" He couldn't help hovering for a little longer.

Ori nodded. "Yes."

"Okay." Dwalin sat back down, taking the opportunity to push the second muffin even closer to Ori.

The lad eyed him with a raised eyebrow. "You already gave me a muffin."

"You look like you could use another." He shrugged, absently pushing the sleeves of his sweater up to his elbows.

Ori's shoulders slumped. "Do I look _that_ bad?"

"No, but I've been watching you." He could feel his cheeks warming as he admitted that.

He blinked at Dwalin. "You have?"

"Yeah." He nodded. "And I think you can help us out."

"What can _I_ do?" Ori's eyes were wide with surprise and disbelief.

Dwalin leaned across the table towards Ori, lowering his voice. "Bifur, one of the other workers, was in a car accident and won't be able to work, which leaves us stretched a bit thin. Do you think you can manage being a barista?"

"Would this be a long-term position or just until Bifur can get back on his feet?" Ori looked skeptical as he leaned closer, but Dwalin could see the hope in his eyes.

"Depends on how well you work out." Dwalin offered him a reassuring smile. "Me, Balin, and the boys have told Thorin about you and he said you'll get the standard ninety-day probation, and then we'll see how it looks."

Ori sat back in his chair, staring at Dwalin in stunned disbelief. "You've talked about hiring me? What about advertising for new workers and the like?"

"Thorin does things a little differently." He shrugged slightly, also sitting back. "Durinson's Coffee is a family-owned and run business. He wants workers who can fit in the team as a family. We think you can do that."

A smile slowly spread across Ori's face, the first Dwalin had ever seen from him and it took his breath away. "I accept, then."

"Good. Come back tonight around 6:30 so you can meet Thorin and he'll give you the paperwork." Dwalin grinned, relieved.

Ori reached across the table and caught Dwalin's hand in his, squeezing firmly. "Thank you."

"Thank _you_." He returned the squeeze and pushed the second muffin until it bumped the first. "I'll see you tonight."

With that, he stood up and left the coffee shop. Working alongside Ori was going to be interesting.


	2. Nu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thorin interviews Ori and Dwalin trains him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of the coffee shop!au. I have no idea how long it's going to be. No beta.

Ori paused outside the coffee house, his heart thumping in his chest from a combination of nerves and anticipation. Dwalin waited inside, but so did Thorin. He'd yet to meet the owner of Durinson's Coffee, but Fíli and Kíli had both indicated that he was the stern and serious type. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he entered the coffee shop. It was busy tonight, warm with the smell of coffee and baked goods. Both Fíli and Kíli were behind the counter, the latter taking orders and the former filling them, with help from an older man with long dark hair pulled back into a loose ponytail to keep it out of the way. Before Ori could become intimidated by the bustle, a familiar hand wrapped around his arm, drawing his attention to Dwalin, who stood beside him now. "Glad you could make it, lad. This way."

The taller man guided him through a door marked 'Employees Only' to what had to be the offices for the management. Dwalin led him through one with a 'Thorin Durinson' nameplate on it. Balin sat in one of the chairs facing the large, heavy desk. He grinned when he saw Ori. "Hello, Ori. Good to see you again."

"Good to see you, too, Balin." Ori shook his hand with a small smile, wondering if he'd be there for the interview as well.

"Brother, could you send Thorin back?" Balin addressed Dwalin with a twinkle in his eyes. Giving an exasperated huff, Dwalin disappeared out the door. Ori turned in time to appreciate the way Dwalin's jeans fit his ass. Then Balin spoke again. "Have a seat, lad."

"Thank you." Ori tried not to fidget once he sat down, but his nerves were getting to him.

Apparently, he wasn't very good at hiding his nerves because Balin reached over and lightly patted his arm. "Relax, Ori. Thorin won't bite."

Ori nodded, but said nothing. He couldn't tell Balin that this was the first job interview he'd had in weeks, that the money he'd carefully saved from his last unemployment check had just run out. The last thing he wanted to do was show how desperate he was to get this job. He nearly jumped out of his skin when the door opened to admit the older man he'd seen behind the counter, his hair completely loose now. "I hope you two haven't been waiting long."

"Ori here hasn't been here for more than a few minutes." Balin told the man as he moved around the desk, not yet sitting down. "Ori, this is Thorin Durinson, owner of Durinson's Coffee. Thorin, this is Ori Rison."

Thorin glanced at Balin in surprise and Ori's heart sank. Did they know either of his brothers already? Dori wouldn't be so bad, but Nori had a Past that sometimes caught up with him and not always in a good way. Thorin cleared his throat as he finally sat down. "Do you have any experience as a barista?"

"Not professionally." Relief flooded through him when neither of the men asked about his brothers. Perhaps they knew Dori. "I had a friend in college who owned an espresso machine and I got to be pretty good with it."

Thorin nodded and, as he did, the light caught on the streaks of silver in his hair. "I'm sure you've seen for yourself that you won't just be making drinks. You'll also be taking orders and busing tables and so on. Do you think you could handle that?"

"I'm sure I could." He pulled out the copy of his resume that he'd brought with him and offered it to Thorin.

He took the paper and skimmed it. "Yes, it looks like the others are right about you and I'm guessing one of your brothers is Nori?"

"Yes, he is." Ori bit his tongue the next moment, wishing his innate honesty hadn't gotten the better of him. There was a reason Nori didn't generally mention him or Dori by name, if he mentioned that he had brothers at all.

Balin patted his arm comfortingly. "It's all right, laddie. He's already fit in with us thanks to Bofur. Just means you'll fit in with us more easily than we thought."

He looked from one to the other in surprise. He wondered what Balin meant about Bofur. "You've seen Nori recently?"

"Yes. Sometimes he helps Bofur and Bombur bring in the first round of baked goods for the day." Thorin's brow knit in a frown. "You haven't?"

Ori shook his head. "I've been at school until recently."

"We don't always know when Nori will be here, but when he does come, it's usually early in the morning," Balin told him.

He nodded, relieved to know that his other brother was all right. Thorin cleared his throat and Ori turned his attention back to him. "Much as this is a family-run business, there's still paperwork that needs to be filled out." He held out a stack of papers to Ori, who took them with mingled relief and pleasure. "Fill these out and talk with Balin to figure out the best shifts for you to work. He knows which shifts the others prefer."

"Thank you very much, Mr. Durinson." He stood when Thorin did, clutching the papers tightly to his chest.

Thorin held up a hand, a small smile curving his mouth. "Thorin, please. Part of the family atmosphere, you know."

"Yes, of course." He nodded, smiling shyly.

Thorin led the way from the office, moving behind the counter while Balin and Ori continued to the seating area. He could hardly believe that he'd finally landed a job. _I only hope that I don't make a fool of myself in front of Dwalin._

* * *

When Dwalin let himself into the coffee shop the next morning, the smell of fresh-baked goods met him, as usual, along with the chatter of voices in the kitchen. Upon proceeding back there, he found Bofur and Bombur placing racks of goods on the counters. Off to one side, Ori and Nori stood side-by-side. Seeing them so close together, Dwalin could tell they were related, as Balin had told him last night on the way home. They were about the same height and their eyes and noses were the same color and shape. Nori's long brown hair didn't have the hint of red in it that Ori's did when it caught the light.

Bofur looked up from pilfering a croissant and grinned when he saw Dwalin standing in the doorway. "Dwalin! Good morning!"

"Stop eating the goods, Bofur," he retorted with a faint smile, going to the safe in the corner and retrieving a cash register drawer with money in it already. "How's Bifur?"

Bofur's ever-present cheer faded for a moment. "He still hasn't woken up."

Without a word, Nori crossed to Bofur's side and squeezed his shoulders comfortingly. His voice gruff but sincere, Dwalin told him, "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Dwalin told me about Bifur yesterday," Ori added quietly, his arms folded across his chest. "I hope he wakes up soon."

Bofur nodded, leaning into Nori briefly before straightening up. "Thanks, guys." He managed a smile. "Let's get everything in the shop, hmm?"

Dwalin caught Ori's arm when he moved to help. "They can handle it. You're with me."

"A-all right." Ori followed him to the front.

He stopped them by the cash register, sliding the drawer into place. "You'll mainly be on clean-up duty and help keep the case of baked goods stocked for now. During slow periods, you'll be trained on the register and making the different drinks."

Ori nodded, taking it all in with huge brown eyes. "I asked Balin about a dress code, but he said we don't have one?"

"Correct, though Thorin prefers that we make an effort to look clean and neat. If you decide to grow your hair out, pull it back while you're on shift." Most of them preferred to keep their hair short, but Thorin and both of his nephews had let theirs grow out.

There was a knock on the glass door then and both of them turned. Dwalin smiled when he recognized the short, plump man with an unruly mop of honey-gold curls. Moving around the counter, he opened the door for Bilbo. "Good morning, Dwalin."

"Morning, Bilbo." As Dwalin and Bilbo approached the counter, Bofur and Nori emerged with the first of the day's baked goods. "What's your poison this morning?"

After a moment of studying the menu, Bilbo told him, "A large zebra mocaccino and a slice of coffee cake."

Dwalin gestured for Ori to join him and talked him through turning on the register and entering the order. When he finished, Ori told Bilbo, "Your total is $7.45."

"I've not seen you before," Bilbo commented idly, handing over a ten-dollar bill

Dwalin talked Ori through how to enter the amount. The change the lad counted out easily and offered to Bilbo, along with the receipt. "I'm just starting today. Thorin hired me last night."

"That's good to hear," Bilbo smiled warmly as Dwalin plucked a cup from the stack and showed Ori how to mark the order on it for the barista. "I'm Bilbo Baggins, by the way. I teach at the community college nearby."

Dwalin moved to the machine to make Bilbo's mocaccino, keeping half an ear on Ori's conversation with Bilbo. "I'm Ori Rison. What do you teach?"

"Languages, mostly the 'dead' ones such as ancient Greek or Latin." Bofur returned from the kitchen with a brown bag for Bilbo, offering it to him with a grin. "Thanks, Bofur."

"Bombur heated it up a little, just the way you like." Bofur winked and disappeared back into the kitchen, presumably to get more of the baked goods."

Dwalin finished making the drink and set it on the counter in front of Bilbo. "Tell Thorin to stop wearing you out on school nights."

"Dwalin!" Bilbo blushed deep red as he accepted the cup.

Ori looked between them with a frown that made a line form just above his nose. "Pardon me if I offend you, but are you Thorin's boyfriend?"

"I am, yes." Bilbo gave an exasperated sigh. "Which I didn't know meant I'd wind up with the rest of these idiots as family, too."

Bofur reappeared with another tray just in time to catch Bilbo's last comment. "Admit it, Bilbo, you love us anyway."

"Sadly, I do." He smiled warmly. "Give my regards to Bombur and Nori."

"Will do." Another grin and a wink and Bofur disappeared again.

Bilbo turned back to Dwalin and Ori. "That reminds me: are you and Nori related?"

"He's my brother," Ori answered quietly. From behind the counter, Dwalin could see the lad plucking at the hem of his sweater with his fingers.

He reached across the counter and patted Ori's arm. "I thought so."

Bofur returned again, carrying two trays of goods. "This is the last of the lot."

"Good, because it's almost time to open." Dwalin glanced at the clock.

Bilbo followed his example and snatched up the mocaccino and coffee cake. "And I need to get going if I want to get to my first class of the day on time. It was lovely meeting you, Ori."

"It was nice to meet you, too, Mr. Baggins." Ori smiled shyly at the little professor.

He shook his curly head. "Might as well call me Bilbo, since we're both part of the family."

"Bilbo, then." Ori nodded his head.

After Bilbo left, Dwalin and Bofur showed Ori what he needed to do to help them open for the day. The lad listened intently to every word, clearly determined to get it right. _He'll be fine._


	3. Gem

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ori has dinner with the Durinsons. Dwalin invites him to lunch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of the coffee shop!au. I have no idea how long it's going to be. No beta.

"Hello, Ori." Bilbo smiled warmly when he opened the door to his knock. "Welcome! I'm so glad you could make it."

Smiling shyly, Ori stepped inside when Bilbo opened the door wider, reluctantly taking off his coat and sweater, leaving him in just a flannel shirt over a t-shirt. "Hello, Bilbo. Thank you for inviting me."

"Not at all, not at all." Bilbo smiled reassuringly, closing the door behind them and taking Ori's things to hang in the hall closet. "Everyone else is here already."

"They are?" Ori's eyes widened and his heart jumped into his throat. "I'm not late, am I?"

Bilbo gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "No, Dís and the lads were early. They usually are for these gatherings. And Frerin just beat you here."

"What about Fíli and Kíli's father?" Ori bit his tongue the next moment, wondering _why_ he couldn't keep his mouth shut.

He smiled warmly as they headed towards the sound of voices. "Kírin is away on a business trip. He handles the public relations for Durinson's Coffee because Thorin isn't exactly the best at that sort of thing."

They'd entered the room as Bilbo said the last bit and Thorin mock-glared at his lover. "That's what _you_ say."

"We _all_ say it, you big, broody bear." A stunning woman with long blonde hair pulled back into an elaborate style that would have made Dori jealous retorted as she stood up.

"Dís, this is Ori Rison, the newest member of the family," Bilbo began as she swept forward. As she did, Ori could see that, like Thorin, she was tall and muscular. "Ori, this is Dís Durinson, Thorin's sister and Fíli and Kíli's mother."

She offered an elegant hand that was broad and square like Thorin's. "A pleasure to meet you, Ori. My boys won't stop talking about you."

"MOM!" The 'boys' in question squawked almost at the same time.

Barely managing a smile, Ori shook her hand. "A pleasure to meet you Mrs. Durinson."

"Dís, please, since my brother saw fit to hire you." She winked, and then glanced around. "Well, my elder brother. Frerin, stop guzzling your booze and say hello to our guest."

That's when Ori noticed another man, not as broad as Thorin, nor as tall as him, standing off to the side, a bottle of beer dangling from one hand. Setting it aside, he crossed the room to seize Ori's hand. "Hello, lad, I'm Frerin Durinson, the black sheep of the family."

"It's nice to meet you, Frerin." Ori wasn't sure what to make of the man's introduction. Blonde like Dís and Fíli, his face was more open than either his sister or his brother, though all three had the same nose and the same blue eyes.

"I'm just going to go check that the food's ready. I won't be a moment." Bilbo offered Ori a last reassuring smile before disappearing through another door.

Thorin gestured to the couch where Fíli and Kíli were lounging. "Please have a seat, Ori."

Nodding, he sat down beside Fíli, wishing he still had his sweater so he could bury his hands in its pockets. Instead, he settled for wrapping them in the hem of his flannel shirt. Dís sat down in one of the chairs angled towards the couch while Frerin took the other and Thorin sat down on the loveseat facing the couch. "Please tell us about yourself."

"I-I've been away at college," he began, cursing his stutter, but pressing on anyway. "My major is ancient literature with a focus on oral traditions and folklore."

"Did your parents protest when you chose that for your major?" Frerin asked with a roll of his eyes. "Ours sure did when I chose to study art and art history."

Ori shook his head, blinking quickly. "I never knew my dad and mom died when I was little. Dori's the one who raised me."

"Oh, Christ, Ori, I'm sorry." Frerin set his bottle on the coffee table with a thump. "I didn't mean to--"

"It's all right," he interrupted with a watery smile. "You couldn't have known. It's not a fact I just randomly throw out."

Before anyone could make the awkward moment worse, Bilbo reappeared to announce that dinner was ready. Ori looked forward to the chance to eat a full meal for the first time in what felt like forever.

* * *

"Dammit." The soft curse from Ori surprised Dwalin. It wasn't like the lad to curse. He rarely said anything at all most of the time, though he was slowly opening up, at least the others said he was. He still hardly says a word to Dwalin, even though they work most of their shifts together.

Removing his apron he turned to face the lad. "Something wrong?"

Ori looked up, his eyes wide and his cheeks red. "I-it's my apron. I got the ties all tangled up and I can't untangle them from this angle."

"I got it." Dwalin gently brushed Ori's hands away and set to work on the knot. Taking note of how much was tangled he commented: "You know, if you have this much extra, you could tie it in front and see what you're doing."

"I suppose I could." The lad peered at him over his shoulder, and then looked away.

Dwalin worked in silence, pondering what more he'd noticed about Ori since he began working at the shop: he usually wore three or four layers and his jeans were so baggy that his belt was the only thing holding them up. Thorin had expressed concern after the lad had had dinner with the Durinsons: _"He looked like dinner was a banquet, but it was only what Bilbo always makes."_

 _"To people without your wealth, a typical Bilbo dinner_ is _a banquet, Thorin." He couldn't resist needling his cousin._

_Thorin gave him a flat look. "This was beyond that, Dwalin. He breathed in the smell and ate so slowly, the way I've seen people at soup kitchens eat. As if he wants to draw it out."_

_"The lad hasn't told any of us much beyond the basics." Dwalin shrugged, understanding Thorin's concerns, but unable to do anything to allay them. "Give him time to get used to us and trust us."_

He blinked and realized he'd been standing like a statue behind Ori. "Are you all right, Dwalin?"

"Yeah, fine," he answered gruffly, giving a last tug at the apron ties so they fell loose. "Actually, I thought we could go get a bite to eat together since our shift is over. My treat."

The last he'd added when he remembered that Ori had yet to get his first paycheck. The lad remained quiet as he removed his apron and hung it up in his locker. He glanced at Dwalin before retrieving his coat. "You don't have anywhere else to be?"

"Nah, I just live with my brother," he explained as Ori shrugged into the coat, reluctant to turn away and put his apron in his office.

Ori grabbed his bag from his locker and closed it. "Y-yes, I'd like that."

"Do _you_ have anyone waiting at home?" Dwalin asked, realizing he didn't even know that much about Ori.

The lad smiled wryly, slinging his bag over his shoulder. "N-no. Not even a dog or cat. Dori likes for me to let him know where I am, though, just to be safe."

"You do that while I get my things, then." Dwalin went into his office to hang up his apron and retrieve his phone, keys, and coat.

He tugged on his coat as he emerged from his office, stuffing his phone and keys into his pockets so he could close and lock the door. Ori looked up from his own phone when Dwalin turned to him. "Dori knows I'm going out to lunch."

"Come on. I know a place nearby." He stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets and led the way out of the coffee shop.

It was only because of the bustle that he gently wrapped a hand around Ori's arm to help guide him through the crowd. That's what he told himself anyway.


	4. Armukh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dwalin and Ori have lunch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of the coffee shop!au. I have no idea how long it's going to be. Sorry for the delay. The boys were being stubborn. Bloody dwarves. No beta.

Ori bit his lip, very aware of Dwalin's hand around his arm. Part of him wondered if Dwalin only offered simply because they were 'family' now or if he genuinely wanted to spend time with Ori. The rest of him didn't care. Even though he was usually tongue-tied around Dwalin, he found the older man's presence reassuring and comforting. He looked around as Dwalin led him through the bustling crowd of people. "Where are we going?"

"A small restaurant near here," Dwalin answered, lightly tugging on Ori's arm to guide him through the crowd of people. The moment they entered the restaurant, Ori liked it: quiet, cozy, and full of delicious smells that made his mouth water. He barely noticed that Dwalin led him to a table in the corner. He was brought back to himself when a big hand rested on his back, just below his neck, warm and reassuring. "Have a seat, lad."

Ori sat, feeling more at ease with Dwalin now. "Thank you."

"Your usual, Dwalin?" The man who approached their table was _quite_ familiar and Ori fought the urge to sink down in his seat. "Ori?"

He smiled sheepishly up at his oldest brother. "Hello, Dori."

"Of course: Ori, Nori, Dori. I should have realized." Dwalin looked disgruntled that he hadn't figured it out.

Dori glanced at Ori and he knew it was only Dwalin's presence that saved him from a scolding. "Well, I know what to bring you two, then. Won't be a moment."

"You don't come here often?" Dwalin asked once Dori had gone.

Ori picked at the tablecloth, not able to meet Dwalin's eyes for the moment. "I don't know if you've picked up on it, but Dori is a bit of a mother hen. I didn't mind it when I was a kid, but I'm a grown man now and I don't need him to watch out for me."

"What about Nori? You were glad enough to see _him_." It seemed that Dwalin understood where Ori was coming from.

He met Dwalin's gray eyes with a sad smile. "I hadn't seen _him_ in months and he doesn't mother me the way Dori does."

"Don't you mean smother?" The twinkle in Dwalin's eye made Ori giggle.

He quickly muffled it when Dori reappeared with drinks for them. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing." His cheeks grew warm at the way he squeaked the word out.

Thankfully, the bell over the door jingled just then and Dori bustled off to greet the group of people who came in then. "Why did you even bother to text him that you weren't going straight home if you don't even live with him?"

"Because he's _Dori_." Ori traced his fingers around the edge of his glass. "I _have_ to keep him aware of _everything_ I'm doing, otherwise he'll call me and make a fuss. It's easier just to text him so he knows where I am."

Dwalin sat back in his chair, taking a sip of his drink. "Sounds like he needs to learn to lighten up and let go a bit."

Ori snorted and rolled his eyes. "Not likely, not after the way Nori turned out."

"Perhaps he just needs something or someone to distract him." He hummed thoughtfully as he set his glass down on the table.

Ori couldn't help raising an eyebrow at that. "Should I be worried?"

Dwalin raised an eyebrow right back, the one with the scar through it. "I don't know, _should_ you?"

"Try not to do anything to hurt Dori." He sighed, shaking his head a little. "He may drive me crazy sometimes, but he's still my brother."

A reassuring smile was all he got before Dori appeared again, carrying two plates, setting one in front of each of them. Ori's stomach rumbled at the smell of his favorite foods. Dori knew him too well. "Bon appetite."

* * *

Even as he dug into his meal, Dwalin watched Ori, noticing how carefully and slowly he ate, as if he didn't want to waste a bite. _Just the way Thorin described. Wonder how long it's been since he's eaten regular meals consistently?_

Every time Dori approached their table to ask if they needed anything or top off their drinks, Ori tensed, as if he expected a scolding or some such. This time, when Dori approached, he only asked, "Would either of you like some dessert?"

"No, I couldn't eat another bite." Dwalin smiled reassuringly at Dori. "Everything was delicious, as always."

Nodding, Dori turned to his brother. "Ori?"

"No, thank you. This was quite enough." Ori's smile seemed rather timid for one brother to another.

Dori swept up Ori's plate, which wasn't quite picked clean. "I'll just put this in a box, then."

"Wait--" Ori's exclamation came too late, because Dori had already disappeared into the kitchen. Ori sighed and slumped in his seat. "The box he'll bring out will have another full meal in it, I'm sure."

Dwalin looked towards the kitchen, and then back at Ori. "He just wants to make sure you're eating well enough."

"I can take care of myself _just fine_ ," Ori grumbled, his eyes glinting with annoyance.

It was the first time he'd seen Ori even remotely angry and Dwalin rather liked how it looked on the lad. "Well, you'll hurt his feelings if you refuse it, you know."

A sigh and the annoyance faded. "I know." Brown eyes met gray. "Thank you for lunch. It was delicious, but I wouldn't expect anything less of Dori."

"You're welcome, lad. Next time we'll go somewhere else." He grinned and winked, just as Dori returned with a box.

Dori gave Dwalin a hard look, and then placed the box on the table where Ori's plate had been. "Here you go, all boxed and ready to go."

"Thanks, Dori." Ori smiled up at his brother and it looked sincere to Dwalin.

A nod and Dori looked from one to the other. "One check or two?"

"One," Dwalin told him, meeting his gaze levelly.

Another nod and Dori went to the cash register. Ori gave a muffled groan. "He's going to think we're dating after this."

"Let him think what he likes." Dwalin shrugged. "It's not _his_ business."

Ori shook his head. "He'll _make_ it his business."

"Like I said, we just need to distract him." He winked again, already thinking of how he would manage it.

Dori returned and placed the check on their table. "I hope you have a good day."

"Thanks, Dori." Dwalin pulled out his wallet and walked over to the cash register to pay.

Not surprisingly, Dori met him there, glaring at Dwalin. Keeping his voice quiet as he handled the transaction, he told Dwalin, "That's my baby brother. If you break his heart, I will break your arms and legs."

"I consider myself warned," Dwalin answered lightly, accepting the change Dori handed him. "I don't intend to hurt him."

Still glaring, Dori poked a finger in Dwalin's chest. "You can still do it unintentionally and that's worse."

Shaking his head, Dwalin returned to the table and counted out a tip for Dori. "Ready to go?"

"More than." Ori took the hand he held out and stood up.

Dwalin was intensely aware that Ori didn't let go even after they'd left the restaurant.


	5. Gamekh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ah, brotherly love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of the coffee shop!au. I have no idea how long it's going to be. In case you haven't picked up on it, this looks like it's going to be a slow burn. Mostly because Dwalin's an honorable man and Ori's shy. No beta.

Ori blinked when he heard the knock on the door, distracted from his work. He looked at the clock on his computer and sighed in resignation. _That must be Dori._ Saving his work, he stood up and wrapped his overcoat tighter around himself. He shuffled to the door and opened it, finding not only Dori on the other side, but Nori as well. "Hi."

"We need to talk," Dori informed him, barely waiting for him to step aside before entering.

Nori offered an apologetic smile as he followed Dori inside. Ori closed the door behind them and gestured to the battered sofa. "Have a seat."

"What exactly is going on?" Nori asked as he and Dori settled side by side on the sofa while Ori perched on the chair at his desk.

Neither of them explained, Dori glaring as he demanded, "How long have you known Dwalin?"

"A little over two weeks," Ori answered calmly, ignoring the startled expression on Nori's face. "He's the assistant manager at a coffee shop not too far from your restaurant."

Nori nudged Dori with his elbow. "Dwalin's a good man. He wouldn't do anything to hurt Ori."

"I _know_ that," his oldest brother snapped, folding his arms across his barrel chest. While Nori and Ori had both taken after their mother in terms of build, Dori had taken after his father. "I can't believe that Ori would date him after knowing him for only two weeks."

Nori's ponytail whipped around as he snapped his gaze to Ori. "You're _dating_ him?"

Ori sighed deeply. "No, I'm not. Dwalin offered to buy me lunch today after we finished our shift and we went to Dori's restaurant."

"Wait, _our_ shift?" Dori's eyes narrowed. "How long have you been working there?"

"About a week." Ori hid a wince. He knew what was coming.

As he'd expected, Dori started yelling, "Why didn't you _tell_ me you needed a job? You know I'd have hired you. Why are you even living in this dump, anyway? What happened to your schooling and financial aid?"

"Dori!" Nori's voice cut across their oldest brother's and he fell silent, staring at their middle brother in surprise. "It's Ori's life. Let him handle it however he wants."

Ori smiled gratefully at Nori. _He_ understood. Quietly, he told Dori, "Like Nori said, it's _my_ life. I'd like to at least _try_ to handle things on my own before I ask for help. I just got hired at Durinson's Coffee, which is a family-run business. Lunch with Dwalin was simply us trying to get to know each other outside work."

"Of course, Ori. I understand." Nori winked slyly at his younger brother and Ori fought the urge to blush.

Dori looked bewildered, as if he didn't know _how_ he should react. "I didn't know Durinson's was looking for employees. It's not easy to get a job with them."

"Since it's family-run, they don't advertise for workers the way most other businesses do." Ori resisted the impulse to glance at Nori. He didn't know if his middle brother would want Dori to know about him and Bofur. "Fíli and Kíli Durinson and Balin Fundinson all talked with me several times over the course of a week before I was even _offered_ a job. Even then, I had to meet with Thorin Durinson, the owner and Fíli and Kíli's uncle, before I was hired."

His brother slowly nodded, looking thoughtful. "Is this Balin related to Dwalin?"

"Yes, Balin is his older brother." He stifled a sigh of relief that Dori's anger seemed to have faded. "He's the manager. Either Thorin, Balin, or Dwalin is at the shop to supervise."

Another nod. "Perhaps it's time I visited, though I prefer tea to coffee."

"Durinson's has a good selection of teas available, too." Nori clapped a hand over his mouth, brown eyes wide as if he couldn't believe he'd said that.

Dori slowly turned to his other brother, one eyebrow raised. "You know this, how?"

"He's a regular there, too," Ori quickly offered, trying to cover for Nori, "though I didn't know that until I'd started working there."

Nori lowered his hand and nodded in reply to Dori's inquiring look. "Yes, I didn't even know Ori had found it until I saw him at the shop myself."

"I guess it's past time _I_ paid the shop a visit."

* * *

"He sure didn't waste time," Ori muttered the next day as he and Dwalin neared the end of their shift.

Dwalin finished making the latest order and followed the younger man's glance to see Dori standing near the door of the shop, looking around curiously. Dwalin lightly patted Ori's back. "Cheer up, lad. It'll be fine."

Before Ori could reply, the shop door opened again, this time to admit Balin, and it hit Dori's shoulder in the process. Dwalin covered his mouth with one hand to stifle a laugh as Balin apologized handsomely to Dori, even though it'd really been Dori's fault. Next to him, he could hear that Ori was fighting a laugh, too. "My humblest apologies. I didn't mean to be so rude."

"It's all right," Dori smiled at Balin. "I shouldn't have been standing there anyway."

"I don't believe I've seen you before," Balin added, offering his hand. "I'm Balin Fundinson."

Dori shook his hand, his eyebrows lifting. "Dori Rison. Ori's my baby brother."

"Aw, Dori," Ori whispered, sounding mortified, and Dwalin glanced at him to see that his face had gone beet red and he looked like he wanted to sink into the floor.

Balin glanced toward the register, where Dwalin and Ori stood, and smiled genially before looking back at Dori. "He's been a wonderful addition to our shop here. He's doing quite well for himself."

"Ori always has been a good lad," Dori agreed and Dwalin bit back a proud smile for his friend.

He glanced down to see that Ori had hunched his shoulders, as if he was trying to make himself as small as possible without actually sinking down into the floor. Dwalin gently squeezed his side, murmuring, "Stand up straight. What they're saying is entirely true."

"It's _embarrassing_ ," Ori hissed back, though he did drop his shoulders and stand up straighter.

Dori and Balin were both standing before the cash register when Dwalin returned his attention to them. Both had an eyebrow raised, but Dori's expression was decidedly unfriendly while Balin's lips twitched as he fought a smile. Sensing that Ori wasn't ready to confront his brother, Dwalin politely greeted his friend. "Hello, Dori. Welcome to Durinson's Coffee. What would you like?"

"Is there a particular tea you would recommend?" Dori asked, his voice stern.

Ori bumped Dwalin's hip with his own, catching his attention. "Excuse me, Dwalin, I know which tea Dori would like best." He quickly tapped it in and Dwalin raised his eyebrows when he saw which one. Ori squeezed his arm. "Trust me."

"Okay, he's your brother. You know him better than me." Dwalin grabbed a cup and marked it with Dori's order while Ori handled the transaction with all the professionalism he'd cultivated over the past week or so.

Balin raised a hand to catch Dwalin's attention. "Could you make a tea for me as well, Brother? You know which one."

"Yes, I do." Dwalin handed Dori's cup to Ori and picked up another one to make Balin's tea.

As he moved to make the tea for Balin, he saw his brother lead Dori over to the table that had become Ori's in his mind. Dwalin and Ori worked around each other to make the teas and Ori raised an eyebrow when he saw what Dwalin was making. Quietly, he remarked, "It seems Dori and Balin have a similar taste in tea."

"So it seems." Dwalin let the tea finish steeping and nodded towards the table where Balin and Dori sat, conversing too quietly for them to hear. "They seem to be getting along just fine, too."

Ori glanced at their table as he waited for his tea to finish. "That's a relief. Nori's the only other person I know who can stop Dori when his temper gets the better of him."

"Now there're two people who can stop him." Dwalin winked at Ori and carried his tea over to the table. "One viola tea for Balin."

Ori followed him over and placed his cup in front of his brother. "And one for Dori."

Dwalin hid a grin as Dori and Balin discussed the fact that they shared a taste in tea. _Looks like it's going to be easier to distract Dori than I thought._


	6. Gesh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Payday means going out for drinks!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of the coffee shop!au. I have no idea how long it's going to be. In case you haven't picked up on it, this looks like it's going to be a slow burn. Mostly because Dwalin's an honorable man and Ori's shy. And the idiots think they're not worthy of each other. No beta.

The moment Ori found his paycheck waiting in his mailbox at work, he endorsed it and used his phone to deposit it in his bank account. He didn't realize how much the lack of money had weighed on him until he took care of that. As he put his things in his locker, his gaze wandered towards Dwalin, who was speaking with Bofur and Bombur. He gasped when Nori slung an arm around his shoulders. "If you want him, ask him out."

"Don't startle me like that," he hissed at his brother, shrugging off the arm so he could put his apron on. "I don't know what you're talking about, anyway."

Nori rolled his eyes as Ori wound his apron's ties around his waist and tied them in front. "Sure you don't. That's why you were so defensive when Dori thought you two were dating."

"We're _not_." Ori growled at him, slamming his locker shut.

Nori rested his hands on Ori's shoulders, bringing their foreheads together with a light tap. "You wish you were, though."

"Doesn't matter." Ori squeezed Nori's arms and gently broke away. "I have work to do."

His brother let him go, but his words stayed in Ori's head. He had to admit that Dwalin was a very handsome man: so tall and muscular with his short-cropped beard and tattoos. That was part of the problem. Why would a man like _him_ want someone as small and scrawny as Ori? The best he could hope for was friendship. Which was why he wanted to offer to treat Dwalin to lunch, but he worried that Dwalin would think he was crushing on him (which he wasn't!), so he didn't ask. Then Kíli burst into the shop with a huge grin. "Ori! Just the man I'm looking for."

"Hello, Kíli." Ori couldn't hide a pleased smile when the youngest Durinson slung an arm across his shoulders. "What's up?"

Jostling Ori playfully, Kíli told him, "Fíli and me are going out to the pub tonight. We wondered if you'd like to join us."

"What, you mean just the three of us?" Ori raised his eyebrows, a little surprised that the brothers would want him to tag along. It'd been clear from the start that they were close.

Kíli nodded, still grinning in a way that reminded Ori of Frerin. "Yep! We didn't really get to talk to you when you came over for dinner. That was more Mum and our uncles. We'd like the chance to get to know you." He paused and thought for a moment before adding. "Of course, if you want to bring someone, they'll be welcome, too."

"I'd like that." Ori nodded, pleased for the invitation. "When will we go?"

His grin brightening (if that were possible), Kíli bounced on the balls of his feet. "Soon as Fíli gets off work. Just meet us here and we'll head out."

"I will. Thank you." Ori nodded, smiling shyly.

Kíli gave him a one-armed hug. "No thanks are necessary. You're family, remember?"

With that, he disappeared towards the kitchen to get ready for his shift. Dwalin's quiet voice caught Ori's attention the next moment. "Those two are pretty high-spirited when they're sober and more so when they're drunk. You sure you'll be all right?"

"I'll be fine." Ori assured him, touched by Dwalin's concern. "If you're that worried, though, you can come with us, too. You're clearly used to riding herd over them."

"I've known them since they were born," he admitted with a small smile. "I've been more of an uncle to them than a cousin. All of us have."

Ori couldn't keep the wistfulness out of his voice. "That must have been nice."

"Now you have plenty of uncles," Dwalin's voice was gruff. "Or older brothers if you prefer."

He made a face at that. "Two older brothers is quite enough, thank you."

Dwalin laughed and clapped Ori's shoulder. "I'll come with you three, if only to keep the other two out of trouble."

"Thank you." He grinned, pleased to have made Dwalin laugh. _It's not exactly lunch, but that can wait a few days.  
_

* * *

Sitting back in his corner of the booth, Dwalin nursed a beer as he, Ori, and Kíli waited for Fíli to return with the next round of drinks. Kíli, as usual, couldn't keep still, constantly fidgeting and tapping his fingers on the table. Ori, in contrast, sat almost stone still beside Dwalin. Out of the corner of his eye, could see the lad's left hand moving under the table. He gently nudged him with his elbow. "What's that in your hand?"

"N-nothing." Ori blushed and clasped his hands together in his lap.

Dwalin shook his head, one eyebrow raised. "I saw a flash of red between your fingers. You have _something_ in your hand."

"No, I don't." Ori lifted his hands above the table, fingers spread.

Kíli looked from one to the other, a sly smile curving his lips. "Are you sure your eyes aren't failing you, Dwalin? You aren't exactly young, you know."

"Shut it, you," he growled, mock-glaring at his young cousin. He didn't need reminding of _that_ fact! He turned his attention back to Ori, whose cheeks had reddened even more. "I _know_ I saw something in your hand."

Smiling shyly, Ori made a show of tugging his sleeves up to reveal bony wrists. "Nothing up my sleeves, right?"

"Nothing," Kíli agreed, blue eyes bright and expectant.

Fíli returned then, carrying drinks for all of them except Dwalin, who'd declared himself the designated driver. As he passed around the drinks, Fíli asked, "What's going on?"

"Sit down!" Tugging on his brother's arm, Kíli urged him back into his seat.

Looking puzzled, the elder of the brothers resumed his seat and looked curiously at Ori. After a moment, Ori flicked his right wrist and a small red ball appeared between his first two fingers, startling the rest of them. "I knew it!"

"Do that again!" Kíli leaned forward eagerly.

Dwalin settled back in his corner and watched as Ori entertained the brothers by making the ball appear and disappear without any of them see how he did it. When Fíli and Kíli began leaning heavily on each other in order to stay upright, Dwalin stepped in. "Time to head home."

"Aw! Dwalin!" Predictably, Kíli was the one to protest.

He shook his head, gently urging Ori out of the booth ahead of him. As the lad leaned heavily against the booth, Dwalin stood up and tugged the other two of the booth as well. He was quite grateful for his long arms as he herded the three lads out of the bar, waving to Barliman Butterbur, the owner and bartender, as he did.

Taking Fíli and Kíli home was easy enough. They shared an apartment and he'd been their designated driver many times in the past. Driving Ori home, however, his heart clenched in his chest when he realized that the address on his paperwork belonged to one of the poorer sections of the city. When Ori almost slipped and fell down the basement steps, Dwalin hoisted the lad over his shoulder and carried him down to the landing. Once there, he set Ori on his feet and waited patiently as he fumbled with the lock and key. The door opened suddenly and Ori would have fallen flat on his face if Dwalin hadn't reached out and grabbed his arm. Ori dissolved into giggles, gasping out a single word: "Oops."

"All right, Ori?" he asked, setting him on his feet.

"Dandy." He tottered into the apartment, still giggling, and crashed into something in the dark.

Groping on the wall, Dwalin found the switch and flipped it up. The apartment was a single room with concrete walls and floor. He noticed a small bed in the corner, piled high with sheets, blankets, and jackets. A large suitcase sat in another corner, zipped shut, and he had no doubt that it contained the entirety of Ori's wardrobe. A battered sofa took up the middle of the room and it was this that Ori seemed to have crashed into, given that he was draped over the back of it, long, thin legs waving as he giggled. Stepping forward, he tugged Ori upright and steered him towards the bed. "Best thing for you is to sleep this off."

"Sounds good." Ori hummed and fell gracelessly onto the bed, half-heartedly trying to sit up so he could untie his shoes and remove them.

Smiling in spite of himself, Dwalin took care of that for him, setting the shoes neatly beside the suitcase. As Ori wrestled himself out of his jacket, sweater, and flannel shirt, Dwalin searched the room for a thermostat or space heater. He growled to himself when he found none. _What sort of person rents out a room with no way to heat it?_ When he returned to the bed, Ori was attempting to burrow under the covers, only for them to fall off instead. "Don't you have any way to warm this place up?"

"Nope." Ori sounded entirely too cheerful, smiling gratefully up at Dwalin as he scooped up the covers and draped them over the lad. "Had to pawn my space heater ages ago to keep up with the rent and my cell phone bill."

After a moment of wrestling with himself, Dwalin turned off the light and used his phone to light his way back to the bed. "Move over."

"Mmm." Ori shuffled towards the other side of the bed and would have fallen off if Dwalin hadn't caught his arm.

He sent a message to Balin and slipped off his shoes, jeans, and jacket before slipping under the covers with Ori. When the lad curled into him, Dwalin stifled a gasp of surprise. His skin was so cold already! He rubbed Ori's thin arms briskly to stimulate his blood flow. Ori hummed happily and soon fell asleep. It took Dwalin much longer to fall asleep. _We knew your situation was pretty desperate, but we'd no idea_ how _desperate!_


	7. Hadud

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of the coffee shop!au. I have no idea how long it's going to be. In case you haven't picked up on it, this looks like it's going to be a slow burn. Mostly because Dwalin's an honorable man and Ori's shy. And the idiots think they're not worthy of each other. There are FEELS in this chapter. You've been warned. No beta.

The first sensation that registered upon waking was a pounding headache. _Next time we go out drinking,_ I'll _be the designated driver._ Ori groaned and curled closer to the warmth beside him. Then he opened his eyes and stared at the man sleeping beside him. _Dwalin!? What's_ he _doing here?_ He sat up to scramble out of bed, but groaned and clutched at his head when his movements proved too much for it.

"All right, lad?" Dwalin's sleep-roughened voice was the only warning Ori had before a large, callused hand touched his back, warm through the thin material of his undershirt.

Slowly, cautiously, he nodded and managed to croak, "'m fine." Once the pounding in his head had eased, he sat up and looked around, his heart freezing in his chest. They were in his apartment, the full extent of his desperate straits more than obvious. He turned to look at Dwalin as the older man sat up as well, stretching so the muscles in his arms flexed and distracted him for a moment. He forced his attention to the other man's face. "Why are you here in my bed?"

"Keeping you warm." Dwalin shrugged his broad shoulders, the fabric of his shirt straining across his shoulders with the movement.

Ori gave him an indignant look. "I've managed to keep myself warm without help before now."

"Do you normally strip down to just your shirt and jeans when you go to sleep?" he asked, reaching up to finger the sleeve of Ori's t-shirt.

He blushed and curled in on himself, suddenly aware of the cold now that Dwalin had drawn his attention to the weather. "Well, no. I usually bundle up."

"You'd been drinking last night. That makes you warm." Another shrug and the way his shirt emphasized the muscles in his shoulders and chest should be illegal! "No surprise you wore less than usual to bed."

Ori shivered, rubbing his arms. _Doesn't help that I have no body fat to help insulate me against the cold!_ "I guess. I don't typically drink that much."

"I didn't think you did." Dwalin swung his legs out from under the covers, revealing that he'd kept his socks on as well. "How's your head?"

He tried not to stare as Dwalin leaned forward to pick something up from the floor, at the way his shirt molded to the muscles of his back. Shaking himself, he hastily answered, "It hurts, but not too bad."

"I can stay if you like." He sat up and turned to face Ori.

The younger man shook his head. "No, I can manage on my own. Thank you for offering. And bringing me home last night."

"You're welcome." Dwalin squeezed his shoulder, a warm, comforting weight. "Don't hesitate to call or text me if you need anything. We're family, after all."

Ori nodded this time, digging through the pile of covers to uncover his ratty old bathrobe. "I will. I promise. Um, I hope no one's worrying about you being gone for the night."

Dwalin gave a dismissive wave of his hand as he stood up and finished pulling his jeans up. Ori nearly squeaked when this put him at the perfect height to note that Dwalin wore boxer briefs. "Nah. I texted Balin so he wouldn't worry about me."

"Oh, good." Ori belatedly remembered his robe and stood up so he could put it on properly. "Tell him I said 'hello'."

Dwalin nodded, his eyes on the floor as he presumably slipped his feet into his shoes. "I will. I hope you have a good day today."

"I think it will." Ori admitted, casting around for his own shoes. _They must be on the other side of the bed._ "Once I've taken some painkillers and gotten some food into me."

A wry smile as Dwalin slipped into his jacket. "Usually the best hangover cure. No 'hair of the dog' for me."

"I've always wondered what the point of that was," he remarked, walking with Dwalin to the door. "Your head is pounding because you had too much to drink and you're drinking _more_ to get rid of it?"

Dwalin gave a soft laugh as Ori pulled the door open for him. "Exactly why I prefer other methods of getting rid of hangovers."

"Indeed." Ori watched as Dwalin climbed the steps to the street before closing the door. His shoulders slumped and he rested his forehead against the door now that he was alone. _Fuck._

* * *

"Good morning, Brother," Balin greeted Dwalin when he entered the kitchen of the house they shared. "How's Ori?"

Ignoring the question for the moment, Dwalin headed straight for the coffeepot and poured himself a cup, downing half of it in the first swallow. Only after emptying it and pouring another cup did he walk over to join Balin at the table. "He's fine, despite a hangover."

"I'm glad to hear it." Balin took a sip of his tea and watched his brother over the rim of his cup for a few moments.

Dwalin fidgeted under the scrutiny before heaving himself out of his chair and rummaging through the cupboards for something to make for breakfast. "How was your evening?"

"Fine." Balin's tone was neutral and Dwalin wondered what that meant. There were times, despite growing up together, that he just could _not_ read his brother. "Dori called me."

He finished gathering ingredients for an omelet and set them on the counter. "What'd he want?"

"Seems he was worried about Ori." Balin's tone hadn't changed in the slightest. "The lad had told him he was going out with you and the boys, but hadn't told him when he got home."

Dwalin winced at that. He should have remembered that Dori kept careful tabs on Ori. Keeping his focus on preparing his omelet, he asked, "What'd you tell him?"

"That he'd made it home safely and you were with him." He really wanted to punch his brother, just to get a reaction out of him. "That seemed to make him _more_ worried.

He stifled a curse. Dori still believed that he and Ori were dating. "He practically raised Ori himself. Of _course_ he'd be worried."

"Not like this." Balin's chair scraped the floor and he moved to stand beside his younger brother. "Is there something you haven't told me?"

Dwalin shook his head, his gaze intent on making his omelet. "Nope. We're just friends. Dori jumped to an incorrect conclusion and won't let it go, despite what Ori and I have told him."

"Would this incorrect conclusion be that he thinks you and the lad are dating?" Out of the corner of his eye, he could see that Balin had raised his eyebrows.

"Yes, it is." He finished the omelet and carefully scooped it up and onto his plate.

Balin gently caught his arm when he would have moved away. "Do you _wish_ you two were dating?"

"We've known each other for only three weeks," he shrugged off Balin's hand and continued to the table, setting his plate down.

His brother sat down across from him, sipping his tea once again. "Don't always need to know each other for long."

"Even if I did, I'm old enough to be his father." Dwalin cut his omelet into pieces, shuffling them around with his fork. "Why would he want an old codger like me?"

Balin sounded offended. "If _you're_ an old codger, what does that make _me_?"

"Ancient." He managed a mischievous grin, but it soon faded.

A heavy sigh. "I wish I could help you brother."

"No one can. I'll move past it." He shrugged. "All I can do, really."

They said nothing more as they finished their meal. There wasn't really anything they _could_ say without getting into trite words and phrases that were empty of true meaning.


	8. Gimon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Consequences of a night of drinking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of the coffee shop!au. I have no idea how long it's going to be. In case you haven't picked up on it, this looks like it's going to be a slow burn. Balin's just thinking "F.M.L." No beta.

"Balin? Can we talk?" Ori tried not to betray his nerves with fidgeting. He'd spent the day since Dwalin left thinking about his situation and how best to manage it. The decision he'd come to hadn't been easy, but it was best.

If Ori's request surprised the older man, he didn't let it show, simply leading him into his office. "Have a seat, lad."

"Thank you." He perched in one of the chairs facing Balin's desk, which was neat as a pin, in contrast to both Thorin and Dwalin, whose desks were both disaster areas.

Balin sat down in the other chair facing his desk instead of behind it, folding his hands across his stomach. "What can I do for you?"

"It's about my schedule," Ori began, clasping his hands together in his lap to keep them still. He raised an eyebrow at that, but he nodded to encourage Ori to continue. "Would it be possible to change it?"

After a moment of surprise, Balin asked, "Are you not happy with your current schedule?"

"I am, but I'd like a little more variety to it." He bit the inside of his cheek, praying Balin would ask no more questions.

His prayer went unanswered. "More variety? Is that your _only_ reason for this request?"

Reluctantly, he shook his head. He wished he could lie with same aplomb as Nori, but he couldn't. "No, it isn't."

"Would you like to talk about your other reason?" Balin's voice was gentle as he gestured around them. "I promise it won't go beyond these four walls."

Ori remained quiet for several moments, debating whether to tell Balin or not. _He's Dwalin's_ brother _, but he did say he wouldn't tell anyone._ The other man waited patiently, with no hint of impatience. Finally, his voice barely above a whisper, Ori told him: "I like working with Dwalin _too_ much."

" _Too_ much?" He raised both eyebrows at that. "Is that another way of saying you're attracted to my brother?"

His cheeks flaming, Ori jerkily nodded his head. "It is."

"Why not say something to him?" Something flashed in Balin's eyes, the same gray as his brother's, gone too quickly for Ori to read.

Another shake of his head, this time vehemently. "I'm young enough to be his son, not to mention short and scrawny on top of that. Why would he want me?"

"Well, it's your choice, lad." Balin smiled and patted his shoulder. "I'll see what I can do about the schedule."

Relief flooded through him. "Thank you, Balin."

"Just--" Balin hesitated, as if he wasn't sure he should say whatever was on the tip of his tongue. Finally, he finished: "Keep in mind that we always see ourselves in the worst light, while others often see the best of us."

Puzzled, he nodded. "I'll remember."

* * *

Dwalin didn't mind at first when he found out that Ori's schedule changed. He'd finished training the lad, now it was time to give him a chance to work with the other members of their 'family'. Dwalin hadn't expected to miss Ori _quite_ so much. He liked the others, but none of them had quite _fit_ the way Ori did. After a week of not seeing the lad, Dwalin decided to visit the shop while Ori was working with Thorin, just to see how he was handling things. That's what he told himself, anyway.

When he entered the shop, he found himself at the back of a line. He didn't mind, because it gave him a chance to watch Ori take orders and pass them on to Thorin. His fingers flew over the register keys as he smiled and greeted customers, a far cry from the bashful lad who'd fumbled with the register at first and barely managed a shy smile along with his greetings. He was so proud for Ori, for how much he'd come in three weeks of work at the shop.

"Good evening, Bilbo." Ori greeted the professor with a brighter smile. "How were your classes today?"

"Very trying, Ori." Dwalin hadn't even noticed Bilbo standing a few people ahead of him in line, but he wasn't exactly the tallest man around to begin with. "I had a few students who wouldn't stop talking in class. I finally had to separate them."

Ori looked sympathetic. "I'm sorry. That must have been very trying. What would help make you feel better after a day like that?"

"A large double chocolate mocha and a slice of coffee cake," Bilbo answered readily and Dwalin could imagine the relieved smile on his face.

The long, slender fingers danced over the register. "Would you like the coffee cake warmed up?"

"Yes, thank you." Bilbo's curls bounced when he nodded his head.

Dwalin glanced at Thorin and hid a smile at the way his best friend stared as his beloved as if he would eat him up if he could. The remaining customers between him and Ori gave their orders and moved aside. He smiled as he stepped up to the counter. "Hello, Ori."

"Good evening, D-Dwalin," Ori replied and he saw dismay flash in those brown eyes over his stutter. "How are you?"

He ignored it, knowing from experience that drawing attention to Ori's stutter only made it worse. "I'm fine. How about you?"

"Fine, too." Ori traced the corner of the register. "What would you like?"

He pretended to peruse the menu for several moments before giving his order, "A medium mocaccino and a crescent roll, please."

"Right." He watched the lad enter the information, ruthlessly shoving away the sudden thought about how those fingers would feel on his skin. "Would you like the crescent roll warmed up?"

Dwalin shook his head. "No, thanks."

He paid for his order and accepted his crescent roll before moving to wait for his drink. When it was slow, Thorin preferred that they take drinks to their customers. When it was busy, however, it was more efficient for the barista to remain behind the counter call out the names of the orders as he finished them. He found a spot beside Bilbo, who watched Thorin intently. Blinking, Bilbo looked at him and smiled brightly. "Hello, Dwalin!"

"Hi, Bilbo." He shook Bilbo's hand.

Before they could talk further, Thorin called: "Bilbo!"

Dwalin felt a pang of jealousy at the looks Thorin and Bilbo exchanged as the latter accepted his drink. Firmly ignoring it, he waited for his own drink and settled down at a table in the corner, picking at his crescent roll as he watched Ori work. The lad helped Thorin finish off orders once the rush of customers died down. He sipped his moccacino as he watched the two clean up behind the counter. He stared in surprise as Ori pushed Thorin out from behind the counter, making the older man laugh. Thorin tugged off his apron as he walked over to join Bilbo, the two talking in low intimate voices. Dwalin looked back at Ori, noticing a sad, wistful look on the lad's face as he watched Thorin and Bilbo. Then a customer entered and Ori resumed his work. Dwalin finished his crescent roll and left the shop soon after. _Him watching Thorin and Bilbo doesn't_ mean _anything, idiot. Let it go._


	9. Tegur

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bofur has wonderful news to share.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of the coffee shop!au. I have no idea how long it's going to be. Sorry for the delay, the boys just _would not_ talk to me. No beta.

"Ori!" Bofur crowed when the younger man entered. "Guess what!?"

Shrugging out of his jacket, Ori hesitantly asked, "What?"

"Bifur woke up!" Bouncing up, Bofur pulled him into a tight hug.

After a moment of surprise, Ori returned the hug gladly. "That's wonderful news, Bofur! I'm so glad for you and Bombur."

"Thanks!" Bofur gave his cheek a smacking kiss, and then darted off to greet the next person he saw. "Dwalin!"

Discreetly wiping his cheek, Ori smiled wryly at Nori when he appeared at his side. "How long has he been like that?"

"Since they called _early_ this morning." His middle brother leaned heavily against the lockers. "He had too much energy to go back to sleep."

They watched as a huge smile lit Dwalin's face and he hugged Bofur so tight that his feet literally left the ground. In order to distract himself from the wish that Dwalin would hug him like that, Ori asked, "Your usual methods of wearing him out didn't work?"

"They wore _me_ out, but not him." Nori's leer was half-hearted at best.

Ori blushed, but didn't say anything more. When Dwalin set Bofur back on his feet, he looked up and his eyes met Ori's. Blushing even more, he turned to continue getting ready for work. Over the past several months, he'd settled comfortably into the 'family', learning more about them as he worked with them. The one he most enjoyed working with, though, was still Dwalin. He most assuredly did _not_ jump when a familiar big hand settled warmly on his shoulder. "Everything all right, Ori?"

"Just fine." He snatched up his apron and draped it over his head, tying the strings quickly. Though he'd certainly put on weight since he started working in the shop and began eating more food regularly, he could still easily tie the apron in front rather than the back.

He bit the inside of his cheek when Dwalin squeezed his shoulder and walked away. He didn't even realize his brother was still standing beside him until Nori commented, "You two _really_ need to settle things between you."

"What?" Ori stared at him in surprise. What was he talking about?

Nori rolled his eyes, looking exasperated. "You and Dwalin have been dancing around each other since you started working here. Just kiss each other already."

"I don't know where you get the idea that we like each other--" Ori began, his cheeks feeling as if they'd caught fire.

His brother interrupted him before he could get a full head of steam. "I'm your brother and I've known Dwalin for a couple years now. I'm not blind."

"Fine, yes, I like him," Ori hissed, trying to keep his voice down. "But why would he like _me_? I'm just a scrawny little boy compared to him."

He made a show of examining his fingernails. "Maybe when you two first met, but you're not nearly as scrawny now."

"He's still old enough to be my father." Ori huffed in annoyance when it took several tries to properly pin his name badge to his apron. "Probably just sees me as another nephew like Fíli and Kíli."

"You're selling yourself short, Ori." Nori's voice was gentle and he lightly rested his hand on Ori's shoulder.

He reached up and covered his brother's hand with his own, squeezing lightly. "No, Nori. I'm being realistic."

* * *

Dwalin tried not to lean too heavily on the lockers that separated him from Nori and Ori, feeling a little light-headed. Ori _liked_ him? _Wanted_ him? _Why_? What about him did the lad like? He scrubbed at his scalp and headed for his office as quietly as he could, trying to get his thoughts in order. All he managed was to sit heavily in his chair and stare at the top of his desk. He blinked and looked up at the sound of a knock. Thorin stood in the doorway, looking concerned. "Hey, Dwalin, is everything all right?"

"Yeah, just fine." He managed to smile, but it even _felt_ weak.

Frowning, Thorin stepped inside and closed the door behind him. "Are you sure? You don't look it to me."

"How did you feel when you learned Bilbo loved you?" Dwalin asked instead.

Thorin raised his eyebrows as he settled into the one free chair facing Dwalin's desk. "Well, considering he yelled it at the top of his lungs in the middle of an argument, that's hard to say."

"That's right, he did." Dwalin chuckled, remembering the stunned silence that had followed Bilbo's declaration.

His best friend leaned forward, blue eyes hopeful. "Has someone told you they love you?"

"Not exactly." Dwalin rubbed the back of his neck, absently noting that he needed to shave his head again soon when his fingers rasped against stubble.

Thorin's frown returned. "Then what happened?"

"I accidentally overheard Ori talking to Nori and it would seem that Ori has a crush on me." Dwalin hid a grimace when he finished telling Thorin, not sure what sort of reaction he would get.

A bark of laughter was certainly not one that he'd expected. "You're just now realizing this?"

"What, you're saying you _knew_?" Dwalin found that hard to believe. Thorin generally remained oblivious to matters of relationships. Bilbo usually had to clue him in.

A sardonic look prefaced Thorin's reply. "Neither of you have been subtle. You insisted on training him. When you come in while Ori's working with me, he becomes as bad as Kíli at making the drinks. It's hard _not_ to notice."

"I _had_ noticed that Ori always seems to be working the register when I visit the shop," he mused, grimacing as he remembered Kíli's attempts to make the drinks. The lad may be a whiz with numbers, but he was horrible at remembering anything more complicated than black coffee, straight tea, or plain hot chocolate.

Thorin gestured as if to say 'there you have it.' "Exactly. He's useless otherwise until you're gone again."

"So I _shouldn't_ visit while he's working, then?" Dwalin wasn't sure if Thorin was trying to hint at something or not.

He rolled his eyes. "I'm _saying_ that you should tell Ori about _your_ feelings and see where it goes from there."

"I'm not exactly the best at relationships, you know," he reminded him with a glare of his own. "I'm rubbish at all the romantic trappings."

Thorin shrugged. "Ori may not want all of that. All that matters to Bilbo is that I thought of doing something for him that would please _him_ , whether it was 'romantic' or not."

"I could have heard wrong." His blood ran cold at the thought. "He might have been referring to someone else entirely."

"You won't know unless you actually speak to him." Thorin sighed and stood up. "I never figured you for a coward, but it's different when it's your heart, isn't it?"

Dwalin glared at his friend for the crack about being a coward, but he sighed deeply when Thorin finished. "Yeah, much scarier."

"It's up to you whether you take the leap or not, but, if you'd like my advice, I say take it." Thorin gave him an encouraging nod and left the office.


	10. Essukh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ori and Dwalin get a bite to eat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of the coffee shop!au. I have no idea how long it's going to be. Dwalin was _supposed_ to tell Ori about his feelings, but the story got sidetracked. No respect, no respect at all. No beta.

Dwalin began acting strange around Ori. He didn't think it had to do with Bifur waking up. Thorin had already assured him that he would still have a job, regardless of whether Bifur could go back to work or not, so that couldn't be it. Neither could it be Dwalin wishing he'd leave, since he was the one who initially recruited Ori. So why was he acting so strange?

"Hey, Ori." Dwalin's voice startled him into nearly dropping his phone. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

Ori offered his best reassuring smile as he tucked his phone back into his pocket. "It's all right. No harm done."

"Why are you out here?" Dwalin asked, look up and down the hallway. "Why aren't you visiting with Bifur?"

He raised an eyebrow at the taller man. "I started working at Durinson's _because_ of his accident. He wouldn't know me."

"Oh, right." He actually blushed! "Why are you here if you're going to visit, then?"

Ori shrugged, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "I came with Nori and Bofur because they asked and I wanted something to do."

"It doesn't look like you're doing much here." Dwalin looked pointedly at his empty hands.

"At least a change of scenery." He rolled his eyes, amused. This was more how he remembered their conversations going before. Not like the past week, where Dwalin seemed to be on the verge of saying one thing, only to change his mind and say something else. Perhaps that's what emboldened Ori to make the offer he'd been meaning to make for months now: "Would you like to go get a bite to eat? My treat."

Dwalin gazed at him in silence for several moments--long enough for Ori's bravado to falter. That seemed to galvanize Dwalin, for he quickly nodded. "Yes, I'd be glad to. Um, do you have a place in mind?"

" _Not_ my brother's restaurant," he retorted as he stood up. "Is there someplace nearby you can recommend?"

Chuckling, he nodded. "There is and I can guarantee that it's not Dori's restaurant."

"Good." Fishing his phone out of his pocket, Ori sent a text to Nori, letting him know that he was going somewhere with Dwalin. "Lead on."

Dwalin took his arm and gently guided him down the hall as he finished sending the text. "Have you ever been on a motorcycle?"

"Nope. Dori didn't approve of them and would _kill_ Nori if he gave me a ride on his." Ori stuffed his phone back into his pocket, his heart skipping a beat, both at Dwalin's touch and the thought of riding a motorcycle.

Pressing the button for the elevator, he turned to face Ori. "Do you think he'd kill _me_ if I gave you a ride on mine? It's what I brought with me."

"Probably not, since Balin's your brother." They stepped onto the elevator when it arrived and Ori's phone rang just as the doors closed.

He fished it out again and felt his face heat when he saw the text Nori had sent in reply. _Good. Now **tell him**._

"For god's sake!" He quickly stuffed it back into his pocket. "I'm going to kill Nori myself."

Dwalin frowned at Ori. "What'd he say?"

"Just being a typical big brother." He gave a dismissive wave of his hand. He had no intention of telling Dwalin about his feelings for him.

* * *

Dwalin didn't believe Ori, but he couldn't simply _demand_ that Ori tell him what Nori had said. They spent the rest of the elevator ride in silence. He led the lad outside to where he'd parked his motorcycle, reaching into the saddlebags for both his helmet and the extra he kept in there for occasions like this. When he turned to Ori to offer him the extra, his brown eyes were shining with delight. "Why haven't I seen this before?"

"It's been too cold and wet to ride it until recently." He smiled as Ori finally took the helmet and put it on. "You see those pegs?" Ori nodded. "Put your feet on those and lean into the turns with me." He indicated the handles on either side of the second seat. "You can either hold onto those or put your arms around my waist. Okay?" He nodded again. Dwalin put his helmet on and zipped up his coat. Then he nodded to Ori. It took a bit of scrambling, but the lad was soon perched on the second seat. Much to Dwalin's secret delight, slender arms slid around his waist the next moment.

Minutes later, the motorcycle zoomed out of the parking lot. In too short a time, they reached the steakhouse he'd thought of that was reasonably nice with equally reasonable prices. When Ori removed his helmet, his face was luminous with delight, a wide smile spread across his face. It was breathtaking. "That was wonderful!"

"Glad you enjoyed it," Dwalin told him gruffly, stowing the helmets in the saddlebags, firmly resisting the urge to grab the lad and kiss him.

Still grinning, Ori turned to take in the restaurant façade. "Good food here?"

"As if I'd suggest somewhere that _didn't_ have good food." He rolled his eyes, amused by the question.

Ori punched his shoulder, and then took his hand to lead him inside. Dwalin let him, secretly enjoying how relaxed Ori was with him. It made it easier for _him_ to relax around _Ori_. He really needed that because his feelings for the lad kept weighing heavily on his mind. The hostess greeted them, distracting Dwalin from his thoughts. "Hello, Gentlemen. Just the two of you?"

"Yes, just us." Ori smiled shyly at the hostess.

She smiled back and made a note before leading them to a booth in the corner. "Here you are. Your server will be by soon to take your orders."

"Thank you." Dwalin managed to say before she left. He and Ori slid into their seats and opened their menus.

Ori pursed his lips as he perused his copy of the menu. Dwalin was hard-pressed not to drag him close and kiss those pursed lips. "Anything you recommend?"

"Whatever you order will be cooked to perfection," he assured the lad, determinedly focusing on his own copy of the menu.

He made an interested sound and continued going over the menu. Finally, he announced, "I know what I'm having."

"Good, because here comes our waiter." Dwalin nodded to the waiter coming towards them.

The man who stopped beside their table grinned as he introduced himself. "My name is Thorin Dainson, what can I get for you?"

"Thorin?" Ori repeated, looking from Dwalin to their waiter and back again.

The waiter chuckled. "My father, Dain, named me for Thorin because he wouldn't have managed to get this restaurant going without his help."

"Are you related to _everyone_?" Ori asked, looking a little unsettled.

Dwalin shook his head. "No, you just said you didn't want to go to your brother's restaurant. Nothing about _my_ relatives."

"Amusing as this is, are you lads ready to order?" Thorin looked from one to the other curiously.

They placed their orders and Thorin left with a promise to bring their drinks soon. Fidgeting with his place setting, Ori commented, "Perhaps next time, we should go somewhere without _any_ relatives on either of our sides."

"You'd _like_ for us to _have_ a next time?" Dwalin couldn't deny the way his heart began pounding in his chest at the thought that Ori _wanted_ to spend more time with him.

The lad's cheeks flushed, but he nodded. "Yes, I would."

"Good, that makes two of us, then."


	11. Zesukh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The not-date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of the coffee shop!au. I have no idea how long it's going to be. The boys keep hijacking my story. No beta.

As Dwalin promised, the food was good, as was the beer Ori ordered. It was just strong enough to make him tipsy, but not enough to make him drunk. There was just one thing that he would change about this meal: "How is everything, lads? Good?"

"Just fine, Thorin." Dwalin smiled up at his cousin. "Thank you."

Their waiter nodded. "Good, good. Any interest in dessert?"

"No, thanks." Ori shook his head. "This is quite enough for me."

Dwalin looked earnest as he explained: "You can order something to go if you like."

"Tempting as that sounds, I'll pass tonight." He smiled reassuringly.

Dwalin nodded and looked at his cousin. "So will I."

"You don't need to give up dessert just because _I_ did," Ori told him once Thorin had walked away after promising to return soon with their check.

This time it was Dwalin who offered a reassuring smile. "It's all right. We have plenty of desserts at home waiting to be eaten."

Ori eyed him doubtfully, but let it go. Thorin returned with the check moments later and Ori handed him enough cash to cover it. He promised to return shortly with their change. After he left, Ori commented, "Dori still thinks we're dating, you know."

"Does he?" Dwalin looked surprised, and then his mouth quirked in a wry smile. "I hoped meeting Balin would distract him from that."

He raised an eyebrow. "You _arranged_ for our brothers to meet each other?"

"Well, I _planned_ to arrange it, but they beat me to it." Dwalin chuckled and the sound of it made Ori's heart flip in his chest.

"I should have warned you that _nothing_ would distract Dori from the idea of me dating _anyone_ , male or female. Not even meeting Balin."

Dwalin smiled wryly as Thorin returned with Ori's change. Only after he left again did Dwalin speak again. "To be honest, I didn't think he'd _really_ let it go, but I hoped Balin would distract him from checking up on you and keeping tabs on you."

Counting out money for the tip, Ori paused to consider that. Dori _had_ been more lax about checking on him and didn't require constant updates on his whereabouts. He smiled shyly at Dwalin as he set the tip on the table. "Rest assured that it succeeded in that respect."

"Good to know." Dwalin chuckled again as they stood up to leave.

Ori grabbed his hand once again and led him out of the restaurant. The big, callused hand in his sent shivers up and down his spine. As they approached Dwalin's motorcycle, he asked, "Would it be difficult to learn how to drive a motorcycle?"

"It wasn't for me. If you've got a good sense of balance, you should be fine." Dwalin reached into the saddlebags and pulled out the helmets, handing one to Ori.

He fidgeted with the chinstrap for a moment and asked without looking up from it: "Could you teach me?"

* * *

Dwalin stared at Ori's bent head, not sure he'd heard the lad right. When Ori finally looked up at him, he slowly nodded. "Yes, I'd be glad to. Just let me know when you'll be available."

"Really?" The way Ori's face lit up made Dwalin want to sweep into his arms and kiss him.

He chuckled and nodded. "How does that one movie put it? Really, really."

"You did _not_ just quote Shrek at me." Ori rolled his eyes even as his mouth tugged into a reluctant smile.

Laughing, Dwalin just pulled his helmet on and settled on the motorcycle. Moments later, Ori's arms slid around his waist again and Dwalin could feel his helmeted head resting against his back. Enjoying the warmth of the lad against his back, he started the bike and roared out of the parking lot. He took the long route to Ori's basement apartment, wanting to enjoy the feel of Ori's arms around him and the press of him against his back. Reluctantly, he stopped and parked his bike. It could have been his imagination, but Ori seemed just as reluctant to let go of him and get off. He removed his helmet and set it in front of him so he could take Ori's and stow it. "Thanks for dinner, lad. It was good."

"Of course _you'd_ think it was good. You picked it." Ori smiled shyly, his hands tucked into the pockets of his jacket.

He folded his arms across his helmet for the moment. "You didn't _have_ to agree with it, you know. You _could_ have said no."

"I trust your judgment." Ori shrugged his slender shoulders.

Dwalin smiled warmly, touched by the sentiment, and cleared his throat gruffly. "Thanks, but I'd like to know what sort of places _you_ like, so you get to pick next time."

"You'll tell me if you're related to the owner, right?" Brown eyes twinkled at him with good humor and teasing.

Laughing, he nodded. "Aye, I will. I'm not sure if I _have_ any other relatives who own restaurants or anything of the like." He shrugged. "At least, in this area."

"That's a relief." Ori wiped imaginary sweat from his forehead.

Dwalin mock-growled at him. "Take that back."

"Or you'll do what?" The lad raised his eyebrows tauntingly. "Give me a noogie?"

"That would be telling, wouldn't it?" Dwalin actually wasn't sure _what_ he'd do.

Ori moved closer and it was only then that he realized their faces were level now. "What _will_ you do if I don't take it back?"

"This." Gripping the slender shoulders with his big hands, he leaned forward and kissed Ori.

When he pulled back after just a light brush, the lad's eyes were wide in the moonlight. Breathlessly, he whispered: "That's not much incentive for me to take that back, you know."

A smile slowly spread across Dwalin's face and he leaned in for another kiss, with Ori meeting him halfway this time.


	12. Nusukh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reactions to the kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of the coffee shop!au. I have no idea how long it's going to be. Finally, I can officially list Ori/Dwalin as a pairing! Of course, just because they've kissed doesn't mean it's all smooth sailing. That wouldn't be any fun! No beta.

Ori could hardly believe it: Dwalin kissed him! Not only that, he'd kissed him again and Ori kissed him back! He held tight to Dwalin's jacket to help keep himself steady. When he'd fantasized about kissing Dwalin (which he'd done a lot, to be honest), he'd _never_ thought Dwalin would be this sweet, this tender. Ori rather liked it, to tell the truth. In the end, neither of them ended the kiss: Dori did. "I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU TWO WEREN'T DATING?!"

"That was technically true at the time," Ori told his oldest brother, not yet releasing his hold on Dwalin's jacket.

Dori gave him his patented _'Don't fuck with me'_ look. "You two sure seemed rather cozy at the time, if I remember correctly."

"We'd barely known each other for three weeks." Dwalin slid his hands down to cover Ori's on his jacket. "We were still getting to know each other then."

Ori stifled a sigh of frustration when Dori folded his arms across his chest. He wasn't going to budge. Though not tall and broad like Dwalin, he was still strong and sturdy. "Which some people do while they're dating."

"We are not some people." Dwalin matched Dori's glare with his own.

Shaking his head, Ori reluctantly freed his hands. "We're not going to budge him, Dwalin."

"Damn straight," Dori chimed in.

Ori glared at him. "I wasn't talking to you." He turned his attention back to Dwalin. "I'll call you about those lessons."

"Just let me know when you're free." Smiling softly at Ori, Dwalin brought his hands up to press kisses to the backs. "Sleep well."

He smiled back and leaned in to kiss Dwalin properly, murmuring against his lips, "Drive safely."

"Always," Dwalin murmured back, turning it into another kiss.

Dori cleared his throat ostentatiously. "That's _quite_ enough, you two."

Rolling his eyes, Ori reluctantly stepped back. Dwalin put his helmet back on and waved one last time before starting the motorcycle and taking off down the street. Once he was out of sight, he turned and brushed past Dori to head down to his apartment. "Why are you here?"

"I wanted to make sure you made it back safely." Dori stood and waited impatiently as Ori unlocked the door. "Nori told me you were having dinner with Dwalin."

Stifling an exasperated sigh, he opened the door and flipped on the light switch. "Would you believe me if I told you tonight was the first time we kissed?"

"Maybe." Dori looked around as he moved further into the apartment. "This looks much better now. I wish you'd asked me for help when you started having trouble."

Ori wasn't sure if he preferred Dori nagging him about his relationship with Dwalin or the fact that he hadn't asked for help. "I've told already you why I didn't. I'm not going to repeat myself."

"You're as bad as Nori."

"Thank you."

"That wasn't a compliment."

* * *

Dwalin whistled to himself as he let himself into the house, putting his helmet and jacket in the hall closet. "How was dinner with Ori, Brother?"

"Delicious." Dwalin shut the closet and proceeded on to the sitting room. "We went to Dain's."

He entered the room just as a different voice asked, "Was my namesake working there tonight?"

"He was, aye." Dwalin flopped into his usual chair and stretched his legs out to nudge Thorin's booted foot with his. "Says 'hi'."

Thorin nudged his foot with his own. "Thanks. Dinner with Ori obviously agreed with you."

"It did and next time we're going somewhere without _any_ family members at all." Dwalin shifted so he could lean down and unbuckle his boots.

He didn't see Balin and Thorin exchanging glances over his head, but he had no doubt that they were. He made a mental bet with himself as to which of them would ask the obvious question. He won (or lost, depending on your point of view) when Balin asked it: "There's definitely going to be a next time?"

"Oh, aye." Tugging his first boot off, Dwalin started on the second one. "And motorcycle lessons as well."

Balin's phone chirped just then and he picked it up to check the text message as Dwalin sat up, wiggling his toes in their socks. His brother raised an eyebrow once he'd finished reading the text. "Dori tells me that he caught you and Ori kissing."

"About damn time," Thorin muttered, slouching further in his chair.

Dwalin rolled his eyes. Of _course_ Dori would complain to Balin. "Dori can't seem to grasp the fact that Ori is a grown man in his own right and he can kiss whomever he likes."

"It seems he takes more exception to the fact that you obviously gave Ori a ride on your bike." Balin finished sending a reply and tucked his phone back into his pocket.

He shook his head. "Ori was perfectly safe. He had a helmet and held on tight the whole time. He quite enjoyed the experience, actually."

"Obviously, if he wants motorcycle lessons." Thorin's eyes were bright with amusement. "What did he hold onto, by the way: the railings or you?"

Dwalin smirked at his friend, sinking back into his chair with a happy sigh. "Me."

"I take it the kiss that Dori saw was mutual?" Balin didn't slouch the way Dwalin and Thorin did, but he relaxed all the same.

Thorin waved a lazy hand before Dwalin could say a word. "Look at his face: of course it was."

"I didn't exactly _plan_ to kiss him." His cheeks grew warm. "It just sort of...happened."

Another chime from Balin's phone and he dug it out of his pocket to check it. As he did that, Thorin told Dwalin: "The best moments are the unplanned ones."

"Excuse me." Balin heaved himself out of his chair and left the room even as he dialed a number, most likely Dori's.

Dwalin smiled wryly and nudged Thorin's foot with his own. "Thanks, by the way."

A lazy smile and a careful return nudge was his only response. Not that either of them need to say more than that. They knew each other well enough by now that words were unnecessary.


	13. Gesukh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Further reactions to the kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of the coffee shop!au. I have no idea how long it's going to be. Silly boys still doubt, still wonder. No beta.

"D'you know how off-putting it is to have my cell phone ring in the middle of a good make-out session with Bofur and have Dori shriek in my ear about Dwalin corrupting you?" Nori asked conversationally when he saw Ori the next day.

Rolling his eyes, Ori finished removing his hoodie and hung it in his locker. "Probably no more off-putting than _finally_ kissing Dwalin and have Dori shriek at us _in person_."

"All right, you win that one." Nori grinned and held out his fist. Ori bumped it with his own after putting his apron on for work. "Way to go, baby bro."

He winced theatrically at that. "Can you not with the 'baby' part? Especially since I'm technically an adult."

"How's little bro, then?" Nori raised his eyebrows.

Ori nodded, tying his apron strings. "That's better than baby at least. I don't want Dwalin to feel like he's robbing the cradle with me."

"Hey, Dori may not want to admit it, but you _are_ a grown man and can make your own life choices." Nori leaned against the lockers beside Ori's as he finished adjusting the apron. "Including whom you choose to date and or fuck."

Heaving an exaggerated sigh, he commented, "Classy as always, Nori."

"I do try." Nori winked. Ori sat down on the bench, fidgeting with his apron for a moment. After a moment, his brother sat down beside him, his voice quiet as he asked, "What's wrong?"

He didn't look up, his eyes focused on his apron. "How did you handle things with Bofur? How did you even _start_?"

"Well, we started sort of the opposite of you and Dwalin," Nori explained, serious for once. "We fell into bed together, and _then_ got to know each other. Neither of us regrets it."

"Didn't think you did, happy as you two seem together." Ori smiled, but it faded quickly. "How do you know when it's the right time to take someone to bed or when it's time to cut your losses and try to find someone new?"

Nori slid his arm around Ori's skinny shoulders, sounding concerned. "Hey, you're not thinking this is a bad idea already, are you?"

"No, of course not, but suppose _he_ does?" Ori glanced towards Dwalin's office, relieved to see that the door was still closed. "I mean, the kisses were great and I love spending time with him, but I don't know why he would want _me_ of all people."

"Because he sees that you're bound and determined to make your own way in the world, despite pressure from Dori to lean on him." Dwalin's response from the other end of the aisle surprised Ori, making him snap his head up in surprise. "Even though you're shy, you took on a job where you interact with hundreds of strangers throughout the day and succeeded at it. More than that, we seem to fit together in a way that we don't with anyone else." Ori could only stare, wide-eyed, at Dwalin as he approached and sat down beside him on the bench. "My question is what do _you_ see in _me_? I'm far too old for you and set in my ways."

He scrambled to form an answer, hardly aware that Nori had slipped away. "I see that you're so very careful and gentle, despite your size, and you love Fíli and Kíli as if they really _were_ your nephews. You took care of me when I was drunk and never asked me why my apartment was so cold and bare. You offered me a job when I needed it most and we fit together."

"You looked like a strong gust of wind could knock you over. I _had_ to do something." Dwalin leaned forward to lightly rest his forehead against Ori's. "Figured your apartment was like that for the same reason that you were so skinny."

Ori smiled humbly, sliding his arms around Dwalin's waist. "Thank you for everything you've done for me since we met all those months ago."

"You're welcome."

* * *

Dwalin hadn't meant to tell Ori all of that quite so soon, but he'd caught his question to Nori and had to do _something_ to reassure him that he didn't see some young, skinny kid when he looked at him. After that, it only seemed fair to let him know that he wasn't alone in wondering. Hearing Ori say those things about him made him very happy and having his face so close once again, he couldn't resist kissing him, light and sweet. Moaning, Ori pressed closer to him just as Bofur called out, "Hey, Lovebirds! Almost time to open! Chop, chop!"

"I'm going to kill him," Dwalin growled, reluctantly releasing Ori.

As they stood up, Ori slid his hand into Dwalin's. "No you're not. We can talk later. Right now, we need to work."

"Congratulations, lads." Bofur grinned and hugged each of them in turn. "It's about time you finally cottoned on."

Dwalin sighed, but returned the hug all the same. "So Thorin told me."

"Everyone knew?" Ori's cheeks turned red.

Bofur grinned and winked as they headed to the front. "Everyone except you two. Even Bilbo saw it."

"Did someone take my name in vain?" Bilbo inquired politely from the other side of the counter.

Bofur shook his head, still grinning. "Nah, just telling Dwalin and Ori that they were the last to catch on that they liked each other."

"Thorin told me you looked extremely pleased with yourself last night." Bilbo turned to him and he sensed Ori looking at him, too.

Dwalin sighed, ignoring the heat creeping into his cheeks. "Aye, we, um. That is--"

"What he's so eloquently saying is that we've finally _told_ each other how we feel about each other." Ori looked fondly exasperated as he took over the explanation.

A bright smile spread across Bilbo's face and he extended his hand across the counter. "That's wonderful! I'm so glad for you both."

"Thank you." Ori moved around the counter so he could hug Bilbo. "You've been a good friend. Everyone has, to tell the truth."

Dwalin leaned across the counter to shake Bilbo's hand. "That's the point of this company, you know: friends for life and all that."

"I know and I wouldn't give it up for the world." Ori leaned against the counter so he could smile at Dwalin.

Bilbo lightly bumped Ori's hip with his. "You can give Dwalin moony eyes all you want later. It's almost time for you to open."

"Your usual morning coffee, then?" Dwalin asked Bilbo, already reaching for a cup for him.

As Ori ducked back around the counter, Bilbo nodded. "Yes, but make it large. Thorin kept me up last night."

"I think last night was a late night for many people," Ori commented as he rang up Bilbo's order. Nori, Bofur, Dori--"

Dwalin finished making the drink with expert speed and precision. "Me."

"You?" Bilbo and Ori chorused, staring at him.

He nodded, looking from one to other. "Yes."

"Me, too," Ori admitted with a shy smile.

If they hadn't needed to work just then, Dwalin would have kissed him yet again. By the time Bilbo left, the shop had officially opened and they were kept busy for most of their shift.


	14. Armusukh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Being sick is no fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of the coffee shop!au. Time for the trope of having one person in a pairing get sick. *sheepish smile* No beta.

"Are you all right, Ori?" Nori asked a week later. "You look flushed."

Ori batted his brother's hand away when he attempted to feel his forehead. "'M fine. It's just a bright day today. You know me and heat don't get along."

"I'm not so sure." Nori caught him when he almost fell into his locker.

Ori barely had the energy to glare at him. "I get enough fussing from Dori. I don't need it from you, too."

"This is not _fussing_." Nori rolled his eyes. "It's legitimate concern."

Dwalin appeared as if by magic just then. "What's going on?"

"Nori's pulling a Dori," Ori informed his boyfriend, leaning forward confidingly.

Unfortunately, he leaned too far forward and Dwalin had to catch him to keep him from falling flat on his face. As he nestled happily against the broad chest, Nori explained, " _That_ is what has me concerned. He can't stay upright and he looks like he has a fever."

Ori sighed happily when a big, cool hand slid across his forehead. "I can confirm that he has a fever. Do you have your car?"

"What kind of question is that?" Nori sounded exasperated. "I'll take Ori home and stay with him until you or Dori get there."

He clutched at Dwalin's muscular forearms when the bigger man tried to ease him away. "No!"

"C'mon, Ori. Let me take you home," Nori coaxed, tugging at his arms.

Ori didn't want to give up his Dwalin-shaped teddy bear. "Wanna stay."

"This isn't working. Let's try something else." Dwalin rested his hands on Ori's back and moved them towards the door. "You're parked out back, right?"

"Right." Ori heard the jingle of keys, but he was too busy nuzzling Dwalin's chest to think anything of it.

He vaguely felt them moving and flinched when Dwalin maneuvered them out the door. "Bright."

"I know, lad." Dwalin's voice vibrated in his chest under Ori's cheek, big hand stroking his hair. "You'll be somewhere dark soon."

Ori gladly sat when Dwalin guided him too, but gripped the material of his shirt with his fingers when he tried to move away. "Don't go."

"I'll see you later." Dwalin gently tugged Ori's fingers free of his shirt. "I have to work right now. Afterwards, I'll come by."

He would deny it later, but both his brother and his boyfriend maintain that he pouted just. "Fine."

"I feel so loved," Nori commented dryly as Ori fumbled with his seatbelt.

Dwalin kissed Ori's cheek. "See you soon, lad. Take good care of him, Nori."

"I always do."

Ori fell asleep before they'd even pulled onto the street.

* * *

Dwalin wasn't sure how he did it, but Balin managed to rearrange the work schedule for the next few days to cover for Ori's illness. "Let me know if he needs more time off, Brother, and I'll take care of it."

"Thank you, Brother." Dwalin made a mental note to do something extra nice for his brother in the near future.

He cleaned up after his shift in record time, roaring off on his motorcycle in less than ten minutes. After a brief stop along the way, he reached Ori's building just fifteen minutes later. He parked his bike and hurried down to the apartment door. When he knocked, Nori opened it, looking frazzled. "Hi, Dwalin."

"Hi, Nori." He entered when Nori stepped back. "How's Ori?"

Both flinched at the sound of vomiting from the bathroom. "He's been better. Óin came by earlier and took a look at him. Said he's a bit underweight and has a stomach bug, but that's it."

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Part of him wished for an actual physical enemy to attack.

Nori shrugged as the toilet flushed and water ran in the bathroom. "There're pills he can take and try to keep him hydrated at least. He hasn't been able to keep much down."

"I'll do what I can." He tried valiantly to keep his eyes on Nori, but they insisted on wandering to Ori when the lad shuffled out of the bathroom.

Giving an exaggerated sigh, Nori turned and headed over to help Ori to the couch. "Dwalin's here now, Ori. I'm gonna go home now, all right?"

"Mm-hmm." Ori batted feebly at Nori's helping hands. "Not a baby, remember?"

Nori ruffled his hair affectionately. "You're right. You're favorite little brother."

"I'm you're _only_ little brother." Ori smiled weakly, tilting his head into Nori's touch.

"Which is why you _have_ to get well soon." Nori produced a small red ball out of thin air between his fingers. "Who else am I going to teach magic tricks to?"

Ori hummed thoughtfully. "I dunno. Fíli and Kíli, maybe?"

"Nah, neither of them have the fingers for it." With a flick of his wrist, Nori held two balls instead of one. Another flick and they disappeared. "Take care."

Another hum and Ori nodded. "Drive safely, Nori."

"I will." With another ruffle of Ori's hair, Nori straightened up and headed for the door. He stopped beside Dwalin, brown eyes hard. "Take good care of him, Dwalin."

He nodded, shaking Nori's hand. "I will."

"Good." With that, the other man left the apartment.

Alone with Ori, Dwalin carried the things he'd brought into the kitchenette. He saw signs of Nori's efforts to take care of his brother and smiled to himself. Despite his rakish behavior, Nori clearly cared for both of his brothers and Dwalin couldn't fault him for that. He put the groceries away and walked over to the couch where Ori had managed to cocoon himself in blankets. Lowering himself onto the only open spot, Dwalin reached out and poked at them. "Ori?"

"Mmm?" The blankets stirred and fell away from Ori's head. He stared at Dwalin for several moments before a smile seemed to light his face. "Hi."

Dwalin smiled back, opening his arms in silent invitation. "Hi yourself."

"I missed you." Ori almost fell off the couch in his eagerness to get to Dwalin.

The tension he'd been feeling all day since he forced himself to let Nori take Ori fell away as he closed his arms around Ori, blankets and all. Quietly, he told the lad, "I missed you, too."

Ori nestled against Dwalin's chest with a deep sigh of contentment. "Why didn't _you_ bring me home?"

"I had to work," he reminded Ori, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. "We couldn't _both_ leave." Ori made a rude sound and Dwalin swallowed a chuckle. "If it'd been possible, I _would_ have brought you home."

This time, he gave a deep sigh. "Fiiine. You make a better pillow than Nori."

"I'll take your word for it." He fought back another laugh, wondering what Nori would think of the comparison.

Ori shifted so he could look up at Dwalin, a puzzled look on his face. "Why are you laughing?"

"You make me happy."

"Even when I'm sick and gross like this?"

"Even then."


	15. Gasukh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ori's feeling better, but now Dwalin's sick.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of the coffee shop!au. Time for the trope of having one person in a pairing get sick. *sheepish smile* No beta.

For the first time in several days, Ori woke up with a clear head. For once, he didn't feel like death warmed over. Smiling, he cuddled closer to Dwalin, who'd taken to spending the nights with Ori. Sleeping with Dwalin was like sleeping with a human-sized hot water bottle because he radiated heat. Except now, he was radiating more heat than Ori was used to. Frowning, he sat up and looked at Dwalin. Perspiration stood out on his forehead and his t-shirt was damp with sweat. Hesitantly, Ori extended a hand to cover Dwalin's forehead. It was burning hot. _He caught whatever bug I had!_

He swept the covers back and scrambled into a change of clothes. Moving the bucket he'd been using when he had to throw up to Dwalin's side of the bed, Ori went into the kitchenette to retrieve the medicine he'd been taking and a couple bottles of water. If Dwalin followed the same pattern as him, he wouldn't be able to keep much food down, but water shouldn't be a problem. Ori had just set the items on the coffee table when he heard Dwalin stirring. "Ori?"

"Right here," Ori reassured him, hurrying over in time to see Dwalin clap a hand over his mouth. Smiling sympathetically, he pointed to the bucket. The big man seized it and Ori winced at the sound of retching, his own throat itching a little in sympathy. Finally, Dwalin finished and set the bucket down, his face pale. Ori offered him a bottle of water. "Here."

"God, I don't know how you managed to drag yourself to work," Dwalin muttered hoarsely, accepting the bottle and taking a small sip.

Ori shrugged. "I didn't feel horrible all at once. It just came on gradually."

"Thank god I have today off." Dwalin finished sipping and handed the water back to Ori.

Accepting the bottle, Ori put the cap back on and set it aside for the moment. "Do you want to go home to your apartment?"

"Nah. I'm in no shape to drive right now and Balin's working this morning." Dwalin laid back and draped his arm over his eyes.

Ori most certainly did _not_ notice that this made Dwalin's shirt ride up enough to bare a strip of skin above the waistband of his boxers. "What about moving to the couch? It's closer to the bathroom and I need to change the sheets anyway."

"Couch, right." Dwalin carefully sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He stared at the floor for a moment, and then looked up at Ori sheepishly. "Give me a hand? I don't think I can manage on my own."

Smiling reassuringly, Ori extended his hand and, when Dwalin took it, pulled with all his might. That got Dwalin on his feet, though they nearly fell over when he collided with Ori. He still wasn't sure how he managed to keep them both upright. They made their careful way to the couch, but Dwalin didn't move to sit down. Ori peered up at him. "Dwalin?"

"I need to piss," Dwalin admitted after a few minutes' silence, his cheeks flushing even more. "Then I'll sit."

Ori nodded and helped him to the bathroom. He let the door close between them, giving Dwalin at least that much privacy and dignity. While he waited, he stripped the sheets off the bed, wrinkling his nose at the smell of them. It was past time to change them. He'd just pulled out a new set of sheets when the bathroom door opened and Dwalin leaned heavily against the doorjamb. Ori quickly moved to his side, sliding his arm around his waist. "Couch?"

"Couch," he agreed. Ori helped him over and Dwalin carefully lowered himself onto it. He couldn't help hovering a little while Dwalin sat with his head tilted back, just breathing deeply. He raised an eyebrow when he opened his eyes and saw Ori standing there. "Yes?"

He quickly shook his head and hurried over to grab the bucket from beside the bed. "Nothing. You just sit and rest."

"Right." Dwalin sighed and slumped down on the couch.

Ori took the bucket into the bathroom and dumped its contents into the toilet, fighting back the urge to gag at the smell. _Dwalin dealt with yours the past few days, don't forget._ He rinsed it out and, when he emerged from the bathroom, nearly dropped it. Dwalin must have decided he was too warm because he'd taken his shirt off, leaving him naked except for his boxers. He'd known that the tattoos on Dwalin's forearms extended up his upper arms, but now he knew what they looked like and that they extended over his shoulders and ended on his chest, which was just as muscular as he'd imagined it to be.

Shaking his head at himself, Ori set the bucket on the floor by the couch and headed over to the bed to finish making it. Once that was done, he sent a text to Balin. Only then did he sit down in the chair facing the couch and indulge himself in shamelessly staring at Dwalin while he slept.

* * *

Dwalin woke to the sound of voices: "Thanks for taking care of him, laddie."

"It was no trouble." Ori sounded earnest. "He's slept pretty much this whole time."

He shifted when he heard footsteps and noticed that he had a blanket draped over him that most definitely hadn't been there when he fell asleep. When he looked up, Ori and Balin were both looking at him from over the couch. "Afternoon, Brother. How're you feeling?"

"Like crap." He sat up and scrubbed at his face with his hands. "How long have I been asleep?"

Ori answered the question, his voice sounding strained. "You've been asleep off and on for most about eight hours. You used the bucket a couple times and drank some water, but that's about it."

"I'm sorry I was such rotten company." He offered Ori an apologetic smile, just then realizing that his shirt was missing.

Ori gave him a lopsided smile in reply. "It was no worse than the company I must've been over the past few days."

"Perhaps you should get dressed, unless you _want_ to go home in just your boxers." Balin raised an eyebrow at him.

Cheerfully flipping him off, Dwalin bent down to scoop up his shirt, tugging it on. When he looked up, Ori had the rest of his clothes. "Thanks."

"No problem." Ori smiled as he took the clothes from him.

This time, the world didn't spin when he stood up. He kissed Ori's cheek before heading to the bathroom to get ready to go. Part of him didn't want to go, but he had to. He didn't have a change of clothes with him and Balin was already here. When he emerged from the bathroom, both Balin and Ori looked at him, concern turning to smiles when they saw him. "Ori said you could leave your bike here until you feel up to retrieving it."

"Thanks again." Now that he'd taken advantage of the mouthwash in the bathroom, Dwalin kissed Ori properly. The lad all but melted against him, slender hands gripping his shirt tightly. When he reluctantly ended the kiss so they could catch their breath, Ori's cheeks were prettily flushed. Tracing his freckles, he asked, "Are you _sure_ you're feeling better?"

"Yes, I'm sure." Ori swatted his shoulder, and then kissed his cheek. "Go home and get some rest. I'll come by tomorrow after work."

He smiled and kissed him again. "I'll hold you to that."

"You'd better." Ori reluctantly pulled away and nudged him towards Balin, who waited patiently by the door. "The sooner you get home, the sooner you start getting better."

He laughed and reluctantly followed his brother out of the apartment and up the outside stairs. As they proceeded towards Balin's car, his brother observed, "You two make a lovely couple."

Dwalin raised an eyebrow, surprised by the comment. "Thank you. Is there some reason for mentioning it?"

"Oh, Dori's just been worried about your designs on his baby brother." Balin sighed and shook his head, unlocking the car with a press of a button.

He waited until they were both in the car and buckled in before he commented, "Aren't you supposed to be distracting Dori from worrying about Ori?"

"He's looked after Ori for so long that it's second nature to him." Balin sounded as patient as always as he started the car and pulled out of the parking spot. "That sort of habit takes time and effort to break."

"So put a little more effort into helping Dori break the habit." Dwalin smirked when Balin flipped him off. No one would believe that his brother could be so crude, but that's what little brothers are for, after all.


	16. Geshukh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ori visits Dwalin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of the coffee shop!au. The boys argued about what happened in the last scene. Guess which of them won? No beta.

Just as he promised, Ori visited Dwalin after work. Fíli answered the door, grinning. "Hey, Ori."

"Hi, Fíli." He smiled shyly as he stepped past the other young man. "How are you?"

Fíli closed the door behind him and led him from the entryway into another room that turned out to be the sitting room. "I'm fine. Just visiting Uncle Dwalin."

"H'lo." Dwalin waved from the sofa where he'd clearly ensconced himself for the day. "My brother seems to think that I can't be trusted to take proper care of myself without supervision."

Fíli rolled his eyes. "You'd be the same way if it was Uncle Balin."

"It was the same with me, too," Ori added quietly, fidgeting with the strap of his bag. "Between you and my brothers, I was never left alone."

Dwalin looked sheepish. "All right, you got me there. I just don't like the feeling that I can't take care of myself."

"You did such a good job taking care of me." Ori crossed the room to sit beside him, stroking his bare scalp. "At least let me do the same for you?"

He huffed out a sigh and let his head drop onto Ori's thigh. "As if I can really deny you anything."

"Great! I'll be going now." Fíli's voice startled Ori into a blush. He'd forgotten about him!

Ori would have stood up then, but Dwalin freed an arm from his blankets and wrapped it around his waist. "You don't have to go, you know."

"Trust me, it'll be better for all of us if I go." Fíli winked. "You two just enjoy your time together and we'll all talk some other time."

He nodded, his hand coming to rest on Dwalin's shoulder. "Thanks, Fíli. Drive safely."

"Always." Waving cheerfully, he let himself out.

Ori looked down at Dwalin, who looked supremely comfortable. "Um, Dwalin?"

"What?" The word came out as more of a grunt.

He sighed. "I have to go to the bathroom and I'd be more comfortable if I could take my bag off."

"Fine." Dwalin shifted so Ori could get up and he took the opportunity to kiss him softly.

That did the trick, for Dwalin was smiling when Ori stood up. "I won't be long."

"Mm." Dwalin laid back down as Ori set his bag on the table near the sofa. When he emerged from the bathroom, it looked like Dwalin had fallen asleep, so Ori picked up his bag and started to settle into a nearby chair. "What're you doing way over there?"

He jumped and smiled sheepishly. "I didn't want to disturb you."

"I missed you." Dwalin's simple statement made Ori's heart flutter in his chest.

Smiling, he settled down on the sofa beside Dwalin and opened his laptop. It took only a few adjustments for them to find a position that was comfortable for both of them. Dwalin soon dropped off to sleep and Ori worked on his laptop.

* * *

Dwalin spent most of the next few days sleeping for shorter and shorter periods. Ori visited every day after work. The day before Dwalin went back to work, he answered the door when Ori rang the bell. "Hi, Ori."

"Hi to you, too." Ori smiled brightly, stretching up to kiss Dwalin's cheek as he stepped past him into the house.

Dwalin caught Ori's arm as he closed the door behind him, drawing him close for a proper kiss. Ori sighed and slid his arms around Dwalin's waist. When he licked at Ori's lips, the lad gave a moan and parted them. Making a soft, pleased sound, Dwalin accepted the implicit invitation, tasting Ori's mouth eagerly. He grumbled into the kiss when his hands tangled in Ori's laptop bag. "First time that's happened to me."

"Sorry." His cheeks flushed, Ori removed his bag from his shoulder.

Dwalin took it from him and carried it into the sitting room. "No apologies necessary."

He set it on the table and turned to find Ori close behind him, a playful smile on his face. "How did that go again?"

"I'm sure you can remember." Dwalin rested his hands on Ori's slender hips, thumbs slipping up under his regular shirt and under shirt to caress his soft skin.

Still smiling, Ori rested his hands on Dwalin's chest and guided him until the backs of his legs hit the sofa. Then he gave a firm push that he could have resisted easily. He went along with it, though, and sat back on the sofa. Ori followed him down, bracketing Dwalin's thighs with his knees. His hands still on Dwalin's chest, Ori leaned in to press kisses along his neck and jawline. Tilting his head back to give Ori better access, Dwalin trailed his fingers along the outside seam of Ori's jeans. "Mmm, this isn't ringing a bell."

"Sure ringing _my_ bell," Dwalin murmured, sliding his hands up to cup Ori's ass.

He must have surprised Ori, because he nipped the spot he'd been kissing a moment before. Dwalin didn't _quite_ stifle a moan as the sensation sent a bolt of pleasure down to his cock. Ori hummed thoughtfully and bit the same spot, a little harder this time. Dwalin groaned, his grip on Ori's ass tightening. Ori straightened up, a speculative gleam in his eyes. " _That's_ worth investigating further."

"Later." He all but growled the words, freeing one hand to cup the back of Ori's neck and drag him down for another kiss, hot and hungry.

Ori's hands fisted in his shirt as he responded with matched heat, his tongue eagerly caressing Dwalin's. The kiss ended abruptly when Thorin asked, "Are you _sure_ you should be doing that so soon after being ill?"

Ori gasped and snapped his head around to stare at Thorin, who stood in the doorway to the kitchen, an amused smirk on his face. Dwalin glared at his friend and flipped him off. "Don't you have somewhere to be right now?"

"Not especially." Thorin made a show of leaning against the doorjamb.

When Ori started to pull away, Dwalin reluctantly let him go. Luckily, he only shifted to sit beside Dwalin on the sofa instead of on top of him. He glanced at Dwalin as he fidgeted with the hem of his shirt. "You didn't tell me you had company."

"He's had company every day since he got ill, why should today be any different?" Thorin asked mildly, blue eyes bright with amusement and teasing.

Still glowering, Dwalin told him, "Because I'm fully recovered now. I don't need a baby-sitter."

"Not baby-sitting." Thorin folded his arms across his chest. "Supervising."

He shot to his feet and wavered once he got there, his head suddenly spinning. Ori stood up and wrapped an arm around his waist to steady him. "Dwalin!"

"'M fine." Even as he said, he slid an arm around Ori's shoulders to help keep him steady.

Thorin looked skeptical. "I can see that. Perhaps I should stay and chaperone you two."

"We're perfectly capable of resisting temptation without supervision," Ori told him stiffly. Both Dwalin and Thorin stared at him for it. The lad rarely spoke to any of them that way except Dori and Nori. "Don't let us keep you from your errands."

Dwalin hid a smirk in Ori's hair as Thorin nodded. "Very well."


	17. Hadsukh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ori and Dwalin want each other and no one's going to stop them from having each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of the coffee shop!au. What everyone's probably been waiting for. Please don't hate me for where the chapter ends. No beta.

As usual, Balin and Dwalin insisted that Ori join them for dinner. As usual, he accepted. He hated eating alone and he didn't really want to leave Dwalin yet. Afterwards, as he and Dwalin lingered over their drinks, playfully nudging each other with their feet, Ori couldn't resist tracing the lines of the Celtic knotwork tattoos on Dwalin's forearm. He snatched his finger away when Dwalin chuckled. "It's all right. You like my ink?"

"Yeah, it was one of the first things I noticed about you." Ori's cheeks heated as he made the admission. "Right after how tall and broad you are."

Dwalin frowned, sounding resigned. "That's usually what people notice about me first. It intimidates them."

"It intimidated me, too, but probably not for the same reason." He bit the inside of his cheek, not sure _why_ he was telling Dwalin this.

He raised an eyebrow, leaning forward in his chair. "Why were _you_ intimidated?"

"I was overwhelmingly attracted to you and if I got so flustered just ordering a drink from you, how would I manage to get to know _you_?" He could still remember how he'd fumbled with his wallet and nearly dropped it that first day.

A grin slowly curved Dwalin's mouth. "You're right. Most people are intimidated because they're afraid of me."

"Not me," Ori assured him, feeling less embarrassed now. "Why else did you think I kept coming back after that first day?"

Ori felt Dwalin's amused chuckle right down to his bones. "The hot chocolate, of course."

"It was delicious, but it was only secondary to having the chance to sit and ogle you and try to get up the nerve to speak to you." Hesitantly, he extended his hand to trace Dwalin's tattoo again.

"I'm flattered that you found me worthy of being ogled." Dwalin held his arm still, even as Ori's fingers moved further up his arm. "Especially since I returned the favor."

He was surprised he didn't get whiplash with how quickly he snapped his head up to stare at Dwalin. " _You_ ogled _me_?"

"I did. You were so adorably attractive when you ordered your hot chocolate that first day." He chuckled at the indignant look Ori gave him. Dwalin sobered as he continued: "And I noticed that your wrist bones stuck out too much for a skinny lad like you when you gave me the money for your drink."

Ori blushed and tugged at the sleeve of his shirt. "No one was supposed to notice that. It's why I wore so many layers, besides the fact that it was so freaking cold at the time."

"I figured as much, that's why I didn't mention it." Dwalin caught Ori's hand in his and squeezed it gently. "And why I had those two muffins ready for you the day I offered you the job. You clearly needed them more than me."

He blushed even more, touched and flattered that Dwalin had cared about the health and well being of a relative stranger. Softly, hardly daring to look at him, he said, "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Dwalin tilted Ori's chin up for a soft and sweet kiss.

It didn't stay soft and sweet. Ori's desire for Dwalin had been simmering below the surface ever since Thorin interrupted them earlier and he wasn't about to be denied again. Luckily, Dwalin didn't seem to mind in the slightest. He gave a groan that seemed to come from deep inside his chest when Ori got up and perched on his knees. When they needed to pause for breath, Ori pressed biting kisses along Dwalin's stubbled jaw. In between kisses, he whispered, "I want you."

"Are you sure?" Dwalin sounded breathless, tracing patterns on Ori's back under his shirts.

Ori straightened up to meet Dwalin's gaze, pleased to see him looking quite wrecked. "Absolutely." Then he bit his lip, suddenly uncertain. "What about you?"

Rolling his eyes, Dwalin took one of Ori's hands and pressed it to the zipper of his jeans. His eyes went wide at the feel of the bulge beneath. _Oh! Oh, my._

* * *

Dwalin rather liked the stunned look on Ori's face. Smirking, he leaned in to kiss Ori's neck, nipping at the spot below his ear. The lad gasped, his hand tightening around the bulge in Dwalin's jeans, which made him groan against his skin. "God, Ori."

"If you lads are planning to do what I think you're planning to do, it'd be best if you relocated to the bedroom," Balin observed from the kitchen doorway.

Ori gave a yelp of surprise and buried his face in his hands. Dwalin huffed and helped him stand up before doing the same himself. With forced calm, he nodded to his brother. "Good night."

"Night, lads." Balin sounded far too cheerful for having interrupted them.

Growling under his breath, Dwalin took Ori's hand and led him down the hall to his bedroom. He paused before opening the door, looking down at his boyfriend. "Any second thoughts?"

"Nope." Ori's cheeks were still red, but Dwalin flattered himself that it was due to anticipation and not embarrassment. "You?"

He shook his head, smiling fondly. "Nope."

Grinning, Ori stretched up to kiss him. Wrapping one arm around his waist, Dwalin blindly reached out to open his bedroom door. They stumbled into the room, still kissing. He was very grateful he'd left the lamp on so it cast a glow on his remade bed. He stopped Ori beside the bed and pushed his unbuttoned shirt off his shoulders and down his arms so it landed on the floor beside their bare feet. He reached for the hem of Ori's undershirt and caught his gaze, asking him without words. Rolling his eyes, Ori yanked his shirt off himself. Dwalin's breath caught in his throat when the lamplight glinted off the barbell that went through Ori's right nipple. He very lightly tugged at the piercing. Ori gasped and clutched and Dwalin's arm. "That's more sensitive than when _I_ do it."

"Sensations are usually heightened with others." Dwalin winked and took the moment to remove his t-shirt, dropping it on the floor.

Ori moved close, lightly tracing his long, slender fingers along Dwalin's tattoos and coming to rest on his chest, over the stylized bear. "What about _those_ sensations?"

"C'mere." He pulled Ori to him for a hungry kiss, licking into his mouth to taste the remnants of dinner and coffee on his tongue.

Moaning, he slid his hands up to Dwalin's shoulders to steady himself, fingers digging into the muscles there. He hardly noticed Ori maneuvering them so he was standing with his back to the bed until Ori gave him a push. Dwalin fell back onto the bed with a grunt, the sheets cool against his bare back. When he looked up at Ori, the lad looked worried, but there was a twinkle in his brown eyes that belied it. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"Cheeky." He grabbed Ori's hand and gave it a strong tug so he landed on top of Dwalin.

Both of them moaned because it finally brought their groins into contact. Dwalin could feel the heat and hardness of Ori's arousal against his own, save for two layers of jeans. Reluctantly, he scooted back onto the bed so he could unfasten his jeans and get them off, as well as his boxers. "Wow."

Dwalin looked at Ori. The lad's eyes were fixed on his cock, hard and red with arousal. Almost shyly, Ori reached out and wrapped his hand around it. He drew in a breath at the sensations. It'd been a long time since anyone except himself had touched his cock. He kept his hips still through sheer force of will as Ori slowly stroked him. Finally, his voice strained, he told Ori: "You do that for much longer and this will be over before it's begun."

"Can't have that now, can we?" Ori winked and squirmed out of his jeans and boxers as well, his cock slapping against his stomach the moment it was free.

It wasn't as long as Dwalin's, but it was quite thick, especially given his slender build. He looked at Ori and raised an eyebrow when he noticed the lad chewing on his lower lip. "What's wrong?"

"I've, uh, never done this before." Ori ducked his head shyly.

Dwalin kissed him softly. "Thank you for telling me. You just tell me if you don't like what I'm doing and I'll stop. All right?"

"All right."


	18. Gishukh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time for lovely sexytimes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of the coffee shop!au. Smutty smut. That's it. No beta.

"Dwalin?" Ori had expected Dwalin to begin touching him, but he hadn't expected him to be so gentle with him.

The older man looked up to meet Ori's eyes and his breath caught at the tenderness on Dwalin's face. "Yes?"

"I'm not made of glass, you know." He preferred a firmer touch.

An eyebrow quirking up, Dwalin slid his hand up from Ori's stomach to his right nipple, tugging on the barbell through it. Ori gasped, his cock twitching at the sensation. "Like that?"

"God, yes." Ori leaned forward to kiss and nip Dwalin's neck, biting the spot that had gotten such a reaction out of him earlier.

Dwalin's groan vibrated in his chest. Ori couldn't stop the smug grin that spread across his face. He didn't get much of a chance to be pleased with himself, because Dwalin gently pushed him onto his back and dipped his head down to take Ori's nipple in his mouth, worrying the piercing with his tongue. He arched his back as sparks seemed to shoot from his nipple to his groin, gripping Dwalin's arms tightly. He gasped for breath when Dwalin lifted his head with a smug grin of his own. "Hmm, I guess the rumors about piercings making your nipples more sensitive are true after all."

"Bastard," Ori muttered, still breathless.

A chuckle as Dwalin pressed a kiss to his stomach. "My parents were married when they had me, as Balin can attest."

"Please don't mention any of our brothers again tonight." Ori ran his fingers over Dwalin's scalp, the stubble softer than he expected.

Dwalin rested his chin on Ori's stomach, smiling. "Deal."

Smiling back, Ori cupped one hand around the back of Dwalin's head and tugged him up for another kiss, his free hand sliding over muscles and tattooed skin greedily. With some effort, he managed to push Dwalin onto his back. Rather than lay on his side facing him, Ori shifted to straddle Dwalin's muscular thighs, his cock bobbing with the movement. Nervous yet determined, he wrapped one hand around Dwalin's cock. He watched with growing confidence as Dwalin tilted his head back into the pillows, big hands stroking Ori's thighs restlessly. He paused after a few strokes. Something was missing. He caught one of Dwalin's hands in his. "Lube?"

"Got it in here." Freeing his hand reluctantly, Dwalin opened the nightstand and dug around for a moment. He pulled out a familiar tube and presented it to Ori.

He accepted the lube and kissed Dwalin's palm. Grinning, Dwalin went back to stroking Ori's thighs as he squirted a generous amount onto his palm. This time, his hand slid easily up and down Dwalin's cock. He watched Dwalin's face intently as he stroked him, so focused on pleasing him that he didn't even think of his own pleasure. Not until a big hand wrapped around his cock, sending sparks of pleasure through him that made his toes curl. "Oh!"

When he looked at Dwalin, he was grinning. He picked up the lube and squirted some onto his hand. Ori gasped when Dwalin began stroking him in earnest, hips arching into the touch. He barely noticed when the other big hand tugged at his hip, urging him forward. Both of them gasped when Ori's cock slid along Dwalin's. Wanting more of that intense sensation, he did it again. This time Ori groaned and he felt Dwalin grip his hips tightly. It didn't feel quite right, though. He bit his lip in concentration, nudging his way between Dwalin's legs. When he moved again, it was like lightning down his spine. Dwalin growled, his hands almost painfully tight on Ori's hips. "More."

"Yes." Instinct took over, Ori's hips rolling and grinding against Dwalin's almost of their own accord. He hardly noticed when Dwalin released one of his hips to pour more lube over their cocks. When Dwalin wrapped his hand around both of their cocks, he certainly noticed _then_ , crying out. His movements sped up and grew faster as the pleasure seemed to coil at the base of his spine, just out of reach. Then Dwalin reached up with his free hand to tug at his nipple piercing and that did it, that tipped him over the edge.

* * *

Dwalin watched as Ori arched his back, white cum spilling over Dwalin's fist in spurts. As Ori slowly relaxed, slim chest heaving, Dwalin stroked a few more times, stripping the last of his seed. Ori moaned, feebly pulling away. Heavy-lidded brown eyes met Dwalin's gray ones as Ori smiled lazily at him. "Your turn."

It didn't take many more strokes of Ori's hand for Dwalin to come. As he gasped for breath, Ori stretched out beside him, half-asleep already. He nudged his lover. "Don't fall asleep yet. You're a mess."

"Mmm, sleep." Ori sighed deeply.

"Wake up." He gently nudged the lad, but he didn't open his eyes.

Amused, he retrieved the tissues from the nightstand and took his time cleaning up Ori's pale, unmarked skin. Though he stretched under the attention, he didn't wake up. Dwalin cleaned himself up and tossed the used tissues in the trashcan with the others. Smiling contentedly, he pulled the covers up and over them. When he wrapped his arms around Ori, the lad curled into him as if he'd been doing it all his life. Letting out a contented sigh, Dwalin let himself drift off to sleep.

He woke early in the morning to the feel of Ori rutting against his hip in his sleep. Tossing the covers back, Dwalin shifted around so he could lick Ori's cock. The lad moaned and Dwalin kissed the head. He liked the taste of cock and the feel of it heavy and hard on his tongue. When Ori bucked his hips, Dwalin opened his mouth and swallowed down his cock. Another moan from Ori as Dwalin hollowed his cheeks, increasing the suction. He wasn't the sort to brag, but his previous partners had never had any cause to complain about his cocksucking skills and it sounded like Ori wouldn't have any complaints either. As Ori's hips moved faster, his moans and sighs of pleasure increasing in volume, Dwalin wrapped his hands around the slender hips, keeping them steady. Remembering what had seemed to set Ori off the previous night, Dwalin reached up and tugged lightly on the barbell through Ori's nipple. He was rewarded with a gush of seed down his throat that he swallowed happily. Wiping his mouth as he sat up, he smiled when he saw Ori staring at him with wide eyes. "Good morning."

"Morning." Ori stared at him as he settled back against the pillows.

Dwalin raised an eyebrow at him. "What?"

"Did you just give me a blowjob while I was sleeping?" The lad sounded incredulous.

He nodded, amused. "I did. You were having a wet dream, so I decided to help you out."

"Wake me up next time, please." Ori traced the tattoo on Dwalin's chest. "I can't enjoy it properly if I'm sleeping through it."

Dwalin laughed and nodded again. "I will, I promise."

"Good." Ori turned his attention to the task of returning the favor, though Dwalin was too big to fit in his mouth comfortably.

He greatly appreciated the effort, however, and rewarded Ori much as he'd been rewarded, though the load was a bit more than Ori could cope with and ended up dribbling out of the corners of his mouth. Dwalin tugged him up so he could lick it off his chin and cheeks. He glanced down at the feel of something poking his hip and smiled fondly. "Again?"

"I liked giving you pleasure," Ori told him, ducking his head shyly.

"Nothing wrong with that." Dwalin tilted his head up for another kiss. "Would you like to enjoy a blowjob properly this time?"

Ori nodded eagerly. "Yes, please!"

"All right, let me get into position here." Dwalin piled the pillows against the headboard and shifted so he could comfortably lean back against them. "Now, put your knees on either side of my hips and hold onto the headboard."

Once Ori was in position, Dwalin proceeded to suck him off with all the skills he'd honed over the years. When he sensed that Ori was about to come, he backed off, gently rubbing circles on his hips and ass. "Why'd you stop?"

"Trust me, the denial will make it that much better." Dwalin smiled reassuringly up at him.

Ori looked skeptical, but didn't protest further. He simply leaned down and kissed the top of Dwalin's head. When he judged Ori had had enough time to recover, Dwalin proceeded to wind him again and back off again. Though Ori made a frustrated sound, he didn't protest that time. He took Ori to the edge several more times, enjoying the way Ori begged him to let him come, growing more desperate each time. Finally, Dwalin decided he'd teased Ori enough did his level best to suck his brains out through his cock. Ori climaxed with a loud cry, only held up by Dwalin's hands on hips once it passed. He slowly lowered him to the bed, Ori feebly clutching at his arms. "You were right."

"Told you." Dwalin kissed his forehead. "Go to sleep. It's too early to get up."

Ori sighed deeply and his grip on Dwalin slowly relaxed. He cleaned both of them up again and drew Ori into his arms, drifting off contentedly.


	19. Tegukh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jumping ahead several months.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of the coffee shop!au. Dun, dun, DUN! Plot complication. No beta.

By now, waking up with Dwalin didn't surprise Ori. He quite liked it, to tell the truth. Confronted with Balin the morning after, however, was a new experience that left Ori red-faced and stuttering. "G-good morning."

"Good morning, lad." Balin smiled warmly at Ori, as if he didn't notice that all Ori wore at the moment was Dwalin's shirt from the day before and his boxers. "Have a seat. I made pancakes this morning."

Still blushing, Ori sat down at the table, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. "I, um, hope we weren't t-too, um, noisy last night. I d-didn't mean to--"

"Don't worry about it." Balin finished transferring a stack of pancakes to a plate and set it front of Ori, indicating the butter and syrup in the middle of the table. "Just means you two made each other very happy."

He nodded vigorously as he began spreading the butter over the pancakes. "Oh! Yes, Dwalin made me very happy and I hope I d-did the same for him."

"That you did, lad." The sound of Dwalin's voice almost made Ori squeak in surprise and drop his knife. He kissed the top of Ori's head and slid into the chair beside his. " _Very_ happy."

The plate Balin put in front of his brother contained a larger stack than Ori's. "There, all settled now. Nothing to be worried about."

"Thank you, Balin." Ori finally started to relax, since it was clear that Balin wouldn't start teasing them. He paused and looked up worriedly. "You won't tell Dori, will you?"

Sitting down with his own plate of pancakes, Balin shook his head. "I won't. It's up to you to tell him, though I suggest you do it soon. He cares about you, lad. That's why he fusses so much."

"I know he cares, but I'd like it better if he didn't fuss _quite_ so much," Ori muttered, grabbing the syrup to pour it over each of his pancakes in turn.

He looked up when a big hand covered his, Dwalin's face sympathetic. "Tell him that. Help him understand that there are other ways he can show he cares."

"I can only distract him so much, you know," Balin added cheerfully from where he was preparing his own pancakes.

Ori's blush came back full force at the reminder that Balin was dating Dori. "You, um, don't mind dating him?"

"Not in the slightest." Balin smiled reassuringly at him. "I'd have wanted to date him anyway, whether it would have helped the two you or not."

He smiled, relieved to hear it. "Good, I'm glad. I want you two to be happy." He tried to look stern. "And if you break my brother's heart, I _will_ come after you and it won't be pretty."

"I understand and I hope you know the same goes for you and _my_ brother." Balin was completely serious and Ori nodded.

Both of them turned at the sound of a suppressed snort from Dwalin. "I'm sorry, but neither of you can look properly threatening."

"Neither of us are big, broad, and muscular, either," Ori reminded his lover with a pointed look at his bare chest. Dwalin had only put on a pair of sweatpants and Ori rather liked it.

Dwalin, in reply, gave him a sultry look that made Ori glad they were seated at a table that hid the way his cock twitched with interest. "You like me big, broad, and muscular, though."

"Save the flirting for later, please," Balin requested with a long-suffering sigh.

Ori blushed and turned his attention to his pancakes. His cock twitched again at Dwalin's low, rumbling chuckle.

* * *

They settled into a routine after their first night together. On the days they worked together, they'd often leave together either for the house Dwalin shared with Balin or for Ori's little apartment. Personally, Dwalin preferred Ori's apartment because they had a bit more privacy. Some days, they were so hungry for each other that they barely got in the door before they were all over each other, kissing hungrily and tearing at each other's clothes. Other days, they spent some time cuddling and talking before they inevitably began kissing and petting, which then led them to the bedroom.

When they didn't work together, Dwalin would run errands and generally keep himself busy until Ori got off work. He always picked Ori up and took him home. He could only assume that Ori did something similar while Dwalin worked. Whatever he did, he was always waiting for Dwalin when he finished his shift, ready to go home with him.

The days Dwalin liked best, however, were the days they both had off from work. He'd wake up slowly, Ori curled up comfortably in his arms. They'd share lazy kisses at first, fingers tracing intricate patterns across sleep-warm skin. Slowly, the caresses would slide down to hardening cocks, stroking them to full hardness. Then it was a toss-up over who would fuck whom. Ori liked when Dwalin fucked him, hands tight enough on his hips to bruise. He'd been horrified the first morning when they went back to bed to find bruises on Ori's hips, but the lad had explained that he liked that Dwalin had so forgotten himself in his passion that he'd gripped him so tightly, so Dwalin was less careful in the future. Dwalin liked it when Ori fucked him, too, plowing into him until he forgot everything except the cock inside him and the pleasure Ori was giving him.

Whatever they decided to do, after they'd caught their breath, they'd drag themselves from the bed and shower together. Showing together usually resulted in them teasing and touching each other until they completely forgot about cleaning up and had their way with each other until the water ran cold. Only then did they get out and get dressed.

After several months of this routine, a change occurred with the transition from spring to summer. Dwalin and Balin hosted a barbecue for everyone employed at Durinson's Coffee. They held it at their house and, after lunch, with the day heating up, most of them transitioned to the pool, particularly the children. The doorbell rang while Dwalin refilled the snack trays, with help from Ori that mostly consisted of stealing both kisses and bites of food. "If you're not going to actually _help_ , why don't you go answer the door?"

"Fine." Ori stole one last kiss before heading off to do as Dwalin asked. He paused in his task long enough to admire the way Ori's boardshorts clung to his ass and legs while they were damp.

He'd just handed the trays off to Balin when Ori returned, looking confused. Dwalin raised his eyebrows at him. "Who was it?"

"Someone for you. He said it's important." Ori caught the hand Dwalin held out to him and kissed the palm.

"Let's go find out what he wants." Still holding Ori's hand in his, Dwalin went into the living room.

A man in a business suit got to his feet when they entered. He smiled and extended his hand to Dwalin, surprise flashing briefly across his face when he noticed Ori as well. "Mr. Fundinson. I apologize for disturbing you, but a situation has come up that needs to be addressed."

"I'm listening." Dwalin gestured for the man to resume his seat while he and Ori sat down opposite him.

"This is a rather delicate situation." The man eyed Ori doubtfully. "I'm not sure that anyone else should be here."

Dwalin slid his arm around Ori's waist when the lad moved to get up, growling, "Ori is my partner. Whatever you have to say, you can say to both of us."

"Very well." The man held up his hands. "I'm Bard Girionson and it's my unfortunate duty to tell you that Lana Drayson died in a car accident recently."

His grip on Ori's side tightened convulsively at the news, feeling as if he'd been punched in the gut. Dwalin vaguely felt Ori turn and wrap his arms around him, slender arms tight around his waist. His voice gruff from the effort to keep his emotions in check, Dwalin asked, "Why are you telling me this? Lana was years ago. We both moved on."

"Fifteen years ago, apparently." Bard looked grim, yet sympathetic. "And she gave birth to a son a little over fourteen years ago: Ruan. On his birth certificate, she listed _you_ as his father."

"Me?" Dwalin stared, not sure he'd heard that right.

Bard nodded. "You."


	20. Lhem

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More explanations and Ruan comes to stay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of the coffee shop!au. My apologies for the delay. I'm taking online classes, so the homework has to take priority. No beta.

Keeping his arms wrapped around Dwalin's waist, Ori looked from him to Bard. "Did you confirm that Dwalin is the father?"

"Not yet," Bard admitted. "We'd need a DNA sample from Mr. Fundinson to do that.

Dwalin nodded. "You'll have it. I take it you'd like me to take care of the boy?"

"Provided the paternity test proves he's yours," Bard nodded, keeping his hands clasped. "If it indicates that someone else is his father, we will contact him."

Ori stroked Dwalin's side, wondering what he could say. Before he could think of anything, Dwalin asked, "What will happen to the boy if his father isn't alive?"

"Then he'll go into the foster system." Bard grimaced, as if he didn't like the thought.

Dwalin hummed thoughtfully. "I'd like to meet the boy. Can you arrange it?"

"Only if he turns out to be your son." For the first time, he sounded apologetic.

"I understand." Dwalin sounded resigned. "What do you need for the DNA sample?"

Bard opened the briefcase he'd brought with him and pulled something out. "I just need a swab of the inside of your mouth."

It was accomplished with a minimum of fuss and Bard returned the swab to his briefcase. "Is there anything else?"

"Nothing else until we've done the paternity test." Bard looked from one to the other of them. "I apologize for disturbing you."

Dwalin saw Bard out while Ori remained seated on the couch, his mind whirling with the thought that Dwalin could be a father, reminded once again of the age difference between them. Fifteen years ago, he'd been ten, still grieving for his mother. Fourteen years ago, Dori, just turned eighteen, had successfully won custody of eleven-year-old Ori and fifteen-year-old Nori. He scrubbed his hands across his face, wondering what he should do now. He didn't particularly want to return to the party, but the others would wonder if he disappeared without saying his goodbyes. He jumped when Dwalin sat down beside him once more. Quietly, his lover asked, "You all right?"

"Why are you asking me that?" Ori turned to him with surprise. " _You're_ the one who just found out that someone you cared for is gone."

When Dwalin wrapped his arms around him, Ori gladly leaned into him, comforted by his warm bulk. "You're looking out of sorts."

"It's nothing." He decided it'd be best not to burden Dwalin with his worries. He'd have enough on his plate if the paternity test came back positive. "Just a lot to take in, you know?"

He smiled when Dwalin kissed the top of his head. "I know."

"Everything all right in here?" Balin asked the question a few minutes later.

Blushing, he reluctantly straightened up. He blushed even more when he realized Dori had come in with Balin. Still holding Ori close, Dwalin told them, "Everything's fine. We'll be out in a minute."

"He hasn't done anything to hurt you, has he?" Dori's question was clearly directed at Ori and he managed to blush even more.

He shook his head as he stood up. "No, Dori. Dwalin would never hurt me."

"Damn straight." Dwalin stood up as well, slipping his arm around Ori's waist.

Together, they trooped outside to rejoin the party. Ori forced the conversation with Bard to the back of his mind for now.

* * *

Dwalin refused to think about what Bard had told him until after the others had gone home and he and Balin had cleaned up after them, with help from Ori and Dori. That done, he took a shower to clean off the chlorine from the pool. Only then did he let himself think about Lana with her fiery red hair and laughing blue eyes. How much she'd enjoyed every day as it came, so vibrant and happy. He slumped against the tile wall, shoulders shaking and chest heaving as he finally mourned for the woman who'd always held a special place in his heart, even after they lost touch.

Dwalin didn't even flinch when the shower door slid open and Ori joined him. Without a word, the lad wrapped his arms around Dwalin and rested his cheek against his chest, right over his heart. Dwalin wrapped his arms around Ori in return, fingers digging into his back and sides hard enough to bruise. Slowly, the tears stopped and he just leaned against the tiles, his mind blank. He didn't realize he was shivering because the water had turned cold until Ori turned the water off and coaxed him out onto the bathmat.

Then the lad rubbed him briskly with one of the big, fluffy towels, getting his blood flowing again. Noticing the water still beaded on Ori's skin, Dwalin grabbed the other towel and returned the favor, ending by draping it over the lad's head and ruffling briskly. Ori objected with a muffled, "Hey!"

"Thanks," he told him gruffly when Ori tugged the towel off his head.

"You're welcome." Smiling tenderly, he led Dwalin into the bedroom and they curled up together under the covers, just holding each other close. Though Ori fell asleep quickly, Dwalin remained awake for several hours, thinking of Lana and this boy who could be his son.

A few days later, Bard returned to the house, with a teenager who _had_ to be Lana's son. His curly hair was red-brown and his eyes were blue-gray. The boy was tall for his age and skinny. Dwalin invited them into the living room and invited them to sit. Bard perched on the same chair he'd occupied before while the boy sprawled across the sofa. "We've confirmed that Ruan Drayson is your son, Mr. Fundinson. Are you willing to take custody?"

"I am." Dwalin nodded. He'd thought about the matter a lot over the last few days and Ori had expressed his unwavering support of the idea. He looked at the boy, who'd kept his expression neutral. "I'm sorry we haven't met before. I lost touch with your mother years ago."

Ruan shrugged diffidently. "Mom didn't _want_ you to know. Said she was the one who forgot to keep up with her birth control pills, so it wasn't _your_ fault that I was conceived."

"Last I checked, it takes two people to conceive a child." He wasn't surprised that Lana had thought that way, though. For all that she tended to live in the moment, she wasn't the sort to pawn responsibilities off onto others.

Bard nodded, having retrieved some papers from his briefcase. "You need to sign some paperwork and Ruan's things are in the trunk of my car. Who else lives here?"

"My brother, Balin." Dwalin took the papers from Bard and began to look through them, knowing from Thorin's experience with Smaug that he should know what he's signing before he put his name to it.

He looked up when Bard cleared his throat. After a moment, the social worker asked, "What about the man who let me into the house that day? It seemed as if he was very comfortable here, as if he'd been living here."

"Ori's my lover." Dwalin all but growled at him. "Is that going to be a problem?"

Ruan sat up straight, but didn't react any other way. Bard shook his head. "No, no problem. I just thought he lived here, too."

Dwalin shook his head this time. "Just me and Balin."

He signed the papers and impressed Ruan with his strength when he lifted the boy's luggage out of Bard's trunk. After waving him off, father and son headed inside together.


	21. Zelhem

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some of the fall-out of Ruan's arrival.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of the coffee shop!au. Longer than usual chapter. Lots of talking. No beta.

Ori stood outside the office door for several minutes, chewing the inside of his cheek. Should he do this? Should he talk to him? Squashing the inner voice that said this was stupid, Ori knocked on the door. Moments later, Bilbo called, "Come in!"

He opened the door and poked his head into the professor's office. Bookcases took up most of the wall space, packed full with books. Bilbo sat at a desk, papers piled on either side of him. "Hi. Am I interrupting?"

"No, of course not, Ori." Bilbo smiled brightly at him, capping his pen and setting it down. He looked at the clock and stood up. "Actually, it's high time I had lunch. Would you like to join me? Provided you don't have any plans already?"

"I'd be glad to join you," Ori assured him, glad for the chance to talk with Bilbo in a less formal setting.

Bilbo gathered his things and ushered Ori out of the office ahead of him, pulling the door closed once they were both out. As they started down the hall, Bilbo asked, "So, what brings you here?"

"What makes you think I have any reason for coming besides the pleasure of your company?" Ori didn't want to admit outright that he'd had an ulterior motive for coming.

The look his friend gave him told him his attempt at dissembling had failed. "You only come _here_ to see me if you have something you want to discuss that you don't want anyone from the shop to overhear."

"Fine, yes, there _is_ something I'd like to discuss with you." Ori held up his hands in mock surrender. "Just not here."

Bilbo nodded, his expression sympathetic. "I understand. I know just the place."

The café Bilbo took him to reminded Ori of Dori's restaurant, with the addition of greenery. A _lot_ of greenery. The host recognized Bilbo, a smile lighting his young face. "Mr. Bilbo! It's been awhile."

"Hello, Sam," Bilbo greeted him with a hug. "How are things with Frodo and Rosie?" A blush suffused the young man's face. "Ah, good, I'm glad you're happy with them."

Smiling shyly, he told Bilbo, "Thank you for your advice, Mr. Bilbo."

"Not at all, my boy. I'm glad to help my friends. When it helps my kin, too, it makes me even happier." Bilbo turned and gestured to Ori. "I'm in the process of helping another friend, so if you could show us to a private table?"

'Sam' nodded after a quick glance at Ori. "Yes, of course, Mr. Bilbo, right this way."

"Friend of yours?" Ori asked Bilbo in a quiet voice as they followed the host.

Bilbo smiled warmly. "Young Samwise grew up next door to me and my nephew, Frodo. I practically helped his parents raise him."

"Who is Rosie?" Ori couldn't help wondering, distracted from his own problems for the moment.

Bilbo shook his head slightly as they reached the table and he told Samwise their orders. Ori glanced at him in surprise once Samwise left. "Trust me, you'll like the food."

"You've never steered me wrong before." They took their seats.

Samwise returned with their drinks and Bilbo waited until he'd gone again before asking, "So, what's wrong?"

"It's about Dwalin," Ori told him quietly, tracing patterns in the condensation on his glass with his finger. "He's spending so much time with Ruan that I've hardly seen him except at work. I know that Dwalin's missed out on fourteen years of Ruan's life, but it feels like we've gone back to the way things were back in January."

Bilbo hummed thoughtfully. "Have you tried talking to Dwalin?"

"I've tried, but we're usually at work, so we're busy, and then he rushes off to get Ruan from school after his shift." Ori shrugged.

Samwise brought their food, and then left. Ori picked at the sandwich and fries Bilbo had ordered for him. "Sounds like you should go see him at his house. I agree that he needs to spend time with Ruan, but not at the expense of time with _you_."

"I don't want to seem clingy." Ori made a face at the thought.

"Telling Dwalin that he's basically been ignoring you is _not_ clingy." Bilbo looked stern. "He may not even be aware that he's ignoring you."

He sipped his soda, still unsure, muttering, "I don't like confrontations."

"As long as you both stay calm, it shouldn't turn into one." The professor reached across the table and patted his hand comfortingly. "He'll respect you more for calling him on this sort of behavior. Thorin certainly did."

Ori nodded, remembering a few of the stories he'd heard of Thorin and Bilbo's relationship. "I'll think about it. Thank you, Bilbo."

"You're welcome, Ori."

* * *

"Dad?" Ruan asked when Dwalin picked him from school, as usual. Most of his attention on negotiating the after-school traffic, Dwalin acknowledged the question with a grunt. "When Mr. Girionson dropped me off at your house, you told him that had a lover."

He glanced at his son with a raised eyebrow. "I _do_ have a lover."

"Why haven't I met him, then?" Ruan raised his eyebrow right back.

Dwalin opened his mouth to retort, and then closed it with a snap, feeling as if his heart had dropped into his stomach. Ruan had met most of the others from the shop already. He and Balin got along quite well. Fíli and Kíli liked to spend time with their young cousin, helping to entertain him on the days school let out early and Dwalin had to work. Thorin had gruffly told Dwalin he could have weekends off until Ruan had settled in more. Ori had yet to come by the house since Ruan had moved in. Gruffly, he finally replied, "Ori's just been busy lately. He told me he's planning to go back to school for a master's degree."

"What'll he study?" A quick glance out of the corner of his eye told him Ruan was staring out the window, but he _had_ asked.

Dwalin navigated the drive home easily, "He didn't tell me, but I know he'd like to teach English, so I assume that's what he'll study."

"How long have you two been together?" Ruan's fingers tapped on the seat in a repeating rhythm.

He took a few moments to mentally tally the dates. "Six months last Saturday."

"I know for a fact you were home then. Why weren't you with Ori?" Ruan folded his arms across his chest now.

He fought the urge to squirm. He shouldn't have needed his son to point out that he hadn't spent much time with Ori lately. It was the sort of thing he should have noticed on his own and corrected without prompting. Clearing his throat, he replied, "I've been more than a little distracted of late."

"You know, we can't really make up for missing fourteen years." He pulled into the driveway and turned to look at his son. "I'm glad to have you in my life, but the point of having a boyfriend or girlfriend is to spend time with them."

Dwalin turned the ignition off. "I know."

"And, if you're worried I'll be hurt if you spend time with him instead of me, don't be." Ruan smiled reassuringly at him, and then slipped out of the truck.

Dwalin watched him disappear into the house, and then pulled out his cell phone. Balin picked up on the second ring, "Afternoon, Brother."

"Balin, when is Ori's next day off?" Dwalin didn't even bother with a greeting.

He heard a creak as Balin shifted to check the schedule. "Tomorrow. Why do you ask?"

"No reason. Have a good day at work." Dwalin hung up and got out of his truck.

As he walked to the front door, he punched in another number. "Long time, no speak."

"Just hear me out before you hang up on me, Ori." Dwalin rushed to get the words out, not sure how his young lover would react. "I've been distracted with Ruan moving in with me and trying to spend time with him that I forgot about spending time with you. I want to apologize for it and hope you'd like to spend tomorrow with me."

To his surprise, Ori sounded amused when he replied, "Why wait until tomorrow? Just come inside, you big idiot."

"What?" Dwalin opened the door and nearly dropped his phone when he found Ori waiting in the entryway with Ruan beside him. "How did you get in?"

Rolling his eyes, Ori held up the copy of the key Dwalin had given him. "I can't believe you forgot you gave me this."

"I forgot a lot of things about you, lad, and I'm sorry for that." Dwalin finally remembered to turn off his phone and tucked it into his pocket. "Is there anything I can do to make up for it?"

Ori looked at Ruan and gestured to him. Smiling, the teenager told him, "We decided that dinner tonight, just the three of us is a start."

"Three?" Dwalin repeated, looking back at Ori.

His lover rolled his eyes again. "Ruan's part of your life now, idiot. We can get to know each other tonight, and then the two of us can spend tomorrow together. How does that sound?"

"Wonderful." He smiled hopefully and opened his arms.

Smiling back, Ori stepped into them and hugged him tight. For Dwalin's ears alone, he murmured, "You have to do a lot of groveling to do."

"I'm looking forward to it," he murmured back, a shiver of anticipation running down his spine.


	22. Nulhem

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Getting to know you, getting to know ALL about you...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of the coffee shop!au. Backstory time! No beta.

"So, how did you two meet?" Ruan asked once they'd settled in the sitting room with drinks: coffee for Ori and Dwalin, soda for Ruan.

Ori fidgeted with his mug for a moment before deciding it was time Dwalin knew. Quietly, staring into his mug, he said, "Last fall, I'd started a Master of Arts in English with an emphasis on literature. Except I hadn't filled out a form right or something and I lost my financial aid. I couldn't pay for my classes on my own, so I was kicked out of the program. I'd been working on-campus in the library with an eye on becoming a teacher's aid, so I lost my job at the same time."

"Oh, Ori." Dwalin's voice was soft and sympathetic, a big, warm hand squeezing his knee. "No wonder you were so damn skinny."

He nodded jerkily, not daring to look up yet. If he did, he might lose his nerve. "I'd been taught to save as much as I could, so I had a fair amount tucked away in my savings account, though it hadn't been enough to pay my school fees. I stretched it as much as I could, selling things online, pawning others, and cutting down on my utilities as much as possible. The whole time, I searched for a job. I went to several interviews, but none of them panned out. Christmas helped somewhat because I told Dori it'd be easier to just give me money and I'd use it to buy my gifts. Instead, I used it to make my funds last a _little_ longer." He covered Dwalin's hand with his own now, squeezing lightly. "Then I stumbled into Durinson's Coffee to get in out of the rain. That's when I met Dwalin. A week later, Thorin hired me."

"C'mere." Dwalin took Ori's coffee from him and set it aside. Then he pulled Ori into a tight, almost-bruising hug. He hugged back, gently rubbing Dwalin's back. He could only imagine how upsetting it must be for Dwalin to hear the whole story.

Ori murmured in Dwalin's ear, "I'd planned to go to Dori the day you offered me the job. If Thorin hadn't hired me, I _would_ have."

"Glad for that," he whispered hoarsely.

After a few more minutes, Dwalin reluctantly released Ori and they both sat back. Ruan had his cell phone out, tapping the screen rapidly. He finished whatever he was doing and slipped it back into his pocket. Looking at Ori, he asked, "So Mr. Dori and Mr. Nori are your brothers?"

"Yes, they are." Ori sipped his coffee, not surprised that Ruan had met them already, especially Dori. He had no doubt his oldest brother had been by a few times since the boy had moved in. "They've been pretty much my only family since our mother died, until Thorin hired me."

Ruan's gaze seemed to sharpen at that, his relaxed sprawl becoming more alert. He glanced at his father, and then back at Ori. "How old were you when your mother died?"

"Ten." Ori remembered the way his brothers had held his hands during the funeral service and how he couldn't seem to stop crying, even though he'd felt like such a crybaby for it.

Though it was clear the teenager had another question ready, he seemed to hesitate to ask it. Finally, he gave voice to it, "Did your dad take you in?"

Ori shook his head. "No. I never knew my dad. None of us did. Dori turned eighteen a year after Mom died and pretty much raised us on his own."

"I think he did a bang-up job of it," Dwalin offered, kissing Ori's temple.

He smiled, leaning into his warmth. This companionship had been one of the things he'd missed the most. "Thanks, Dwalin. He'd disagree with you because of how Nori turned out, but he'd have turned out that way even if Mom had lived."

"I like Mr. Nori," Ruan interjected then, a bright smile on his face. "He can do some really neat tricks with balls and stuff."

Ori smiled, knowing exactly what Ruan meant. "Oh, you mean something like this?" He flicked his wrist to produce one of the red foam balls he always kept on him.

"Whoa." Ruan stared at his hand with wide eyes. "Yes, that's it!"

He flicked his wrist again, producing a second ball. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Dwalin watching with a fond smile as he entertained Ruan with a few more of the tricks Nori had taught him.

* * *

Though Dwalin and Ruan both asked him to stay, Ori went home after dinner. _"We still have things to work out and my staying won't help."_

Much as he'd have preferred to have Ori in his arms, Dwalin knew he was right. After saying good-bye to him, Dwalin returned to the sitting room to find Ruan sprawled across the couch, doing something on his phone. Shifting Ruan's feet so he could sit down, Dwalin asked, "What do you think of Ori?"

"I like him." Ruan didn't take his eyes off his phone at first, though he didn't protest Dwalin moving his feet. "He seems like a cool guy and has a good head on his shoulders."

Dwalin raised his eyebrow, amused. "Really? A good head on his shoulders? That's the best you can come up with?"

"It's true." He finished whatever he was doing on his phone and tucked it into his pocket. "Especially compared to Mr. Nori or Kíli."

He gave a soft huff of laughter. "I don't know Nori's story, but Kíli's too much like Frerin. Though he has his moments."

"I'll take your word for it." It took some squirming, but Ruan managed to shift into a sitting position. "I haven't seen it for myself yet."

Dwalin nodded and ruffled his son's hair. He batted half-heartedly at the offending hand. "You show more sense than Kíli, to tell the true. Any idea why that is?"

"You remember Mom, right?" Ruan gave him a dry look. "Very light-hearted and easygoing? _One_ of us had to be responsible and it wasn't her."

He slid his arm down to circle his son's shoulders, squeezing gently. "I'll take care of you now. Enjoy being a teenager while you can."

Ruan leaned into him and asked the question he'd been waiting to hear since he first met his son. "Why didn't you marry Mom?"

"We talked about it, when we were both still in high school." Dwalin's voice was gruff, despite his preparation. "Then I enlisted in the Army right after I graduated and Lana didn't want to continue the relationship. I'd likely be overseas for long periods of time and getting shot at and that would hurt her too much. So we agreed to part ways."

He let go when Ruan shifted to look up at him. "That was kind of selfish of her, wanting out because she might have to grieve for you."

"We loved each other, but we weren't _in_ love." He didn't take offense at his son's words, trying to see things from his point of view. "I knew, if I forced the issue, she'd stay with me, but she wouldn't be happy anymore, and that's what I wanted for her, more than anything. Even if it meant we remained just friends."

Ruan folded his arms across his chest in a familiar gesture. "Did you two even try to stay in touch at least? I know you hadn't heard from her in years."

"Yes, we did." Dwalin nodded, relaxing back against the couch. "We talked on the phone and exchanged e-mails, but we drifted apart. By the time my enlistment was up, she'd moved away and I was too caught up in trying to re-adjust to civilian life to try to find her. By the time I got my head on straight, with help from Balin and Thorin, I had no idea where to start looking for her, so I just let her go. Part of me will always love her, but that's long gone now."

Giving an annoyed grunt, Ruan stood up and glared down at Dwalin. "I wish you hadn't given up on her. I think she loved you more than you give her credit for. She never married. I think part of her hoped you'd come looking for her."

"She didn't want to stay together, I respected that." He stood up, towering over his son. "If she'd changed her mind, she knew how to find me."

Ruan shoved him, but he'd yet to grow into his adult size and strength, so it did little good. "You were both idiots, then. Pining for each other, but not doing anything about it."

Before Dwalin could reply, Ruan stormed out of the room and to his bedroom, slamming the door behind him. Balin poked his head into the room from the kitchen. "I wondered when he'd finally start acting like a teenager."

Dwalin flipped him off and stormed off to his own bedroom.


	23. Gelhem

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dwalin visits Ori, as does Dori.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of the coffee shop!au. Apologies for the delay. School fried my brain. In fact, updates will probably continue to be sporadic. No beta.

Pleased as Ori was to see Dwalin the next day, the look on his face worried him. "Is something wrong?"

"Ruan's finally started acting like a sulky teenager," Dwalin told him, entering the apartment when Ori opened the door wider in silent invitation. "He stormed off to his room in a huff last o

Ori glanced at the clock on the wall, distracting himself from the worry that Ruan had stormed off to his room because of _him_. "It's almost lunchtime."

"I know." Dwalin sighed and slumped onto the sofa while Ori closed the door. "Balin's keeping an eye on him while I'm here with you."

He hesitated beside the sofa, fidgeting with the hem of his t-shirt. "You don't _have_ to stay if you're needed elsewhere."

"I'm right where I need to be," Dwalin informed him, reaching up to take Ori's hand in his and give it a tug.

The tug was enough to unbalance Ori, who then fell on top of Dwalin on the sofa. He arched an eyebrow at his lover, a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth. "You could've _asked_ , you know."

"Where's the fun in that?" he murmured, leaning down to kiss Ori softly.

He returned the kiss happily, but pulled back before they could get carried away. "We still need to talk."

Dwalin pressed a kiss to the side of Ori's neck, the spot that he _knew_ was particularly sensitive. "We can talk later."

"No, we should talk _now_." Reluctantly, he pulled himself out of Dwalin's arms and curled up in the chair opposite the sofa.

Sighing his frustration, Dwalin nodded and pushed himself into a more upright position. "All right, what do you want to talk about?"

"I'd like to spend time with you outside work." Ori drew his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. "I know it won't be the same as it was before, but it felt like we'd gone back in time to when we barely knew each other."

Nodding again, Dwalin folded his hands in his lap. "I want that, too." He looked sheepish. "I didn't mean to ignore you."

"I know." He smiled reassuringly, dropping one leg to dangle from the chair. "Raising children takes a lot of time and attention. All I'm asking for is a larger portion of yours."

"You'll get it, I promise." Standing up, he crossed to brace his hands on the arm of Ori's chair and lean down, pressing their foreheads together. "Don't hesitate to remind me if your portion starts shrinking."

Ori released his other leg so he could slide his hands up and down Dwalin's arms, tracing the tattoos with his fingers. "I'll certainly do that, I can assure you of that."

"Good." Dwalin leaned closer, bare inches separating their lips. "Is there anything else?"

He licked his lips and shook his head. "Not that I can think of."

"Excellent." With that, he closed the distance between them, kissing Ori hungrily.

This time, he returned Dwalin's kiss with matched hunger.

* * *

Dwalin liked when he woke up before Ori. A natural early riser, his lover usually slipped from the bed while Dwalin still slept and either started making breakfast if they were at his apartment, or joined Balin if they were at Dwalin and Balin's house. Since it was late afternoon, Dwalin woke before Ori, pleasantly sore from 'groveling' for forgiveness. He'd have happily remained where he was, enjoying the feel of Ori curled up against him, but certain biological urges made it necessary to get up. Pressing a kiss to Ori's forehead, he carefully slipped out of the bed. Dwalin retrieved his boxers from the floor on his way to the bathroom. Once he'd relieved himself and cleaned up, he poked through the cupboards in the kitchenette in hopes of finding something he could cook for the two of them.

The doorbell rang before he found anything. Dwalin glanced down at his boxers and shrugged. Whoever it was knew about him and Ori anyway. His current appearance wasn't like to shock anyone. He opened the door to find Dori waiting on the other side. The other man's pleasant smile gave way to shock when he saw Dwalin, closely followed by fury as he took in Dwalin's clothes--or lack thereof. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"Visiting Ori," Dwalin answered calmly, stepping aside so Dori could enter. "Why else would I be here?"

"Corrupting him more like." Dori poked Dwalin's sternum with his index finger once he'd come inside.

He pushed the offending finger away as he closed the door. "I'd hardly call it corrupting when Ori was a _very_ willing participant. In fact, you could say that _he_ corrupted _me_ , since he did the fucking earlier."

"Not my sweet, innocent Ori." Dori looked horrified and part of Dwalin was surprised that he didn't clutch at his chest, too.

Both of them turned when Ori spoke up from the bed, his voice sleepy yet firm. "I haven't been innocent for _years_ , Dori." Noticing Dwalin's raised eyebrow, he added, "I read porn, so sue me."

"Not going to happen, considering some of the ideas you probably got from it." Dwalin grinned as he remembered some of the things Ori had suggested they try.

Dori could only sputter as Ori got up and crossed to the three-drawer chest he'd bought to pull out a clean pair of boxers and put them on. "Exactly. If you know where to look, you don't remain innocent for long."

"And _you_ certainly knew where to look." He held out his arm to Ori and smiled when his lover slid in beside him, kissing his cheek.

Ori winked. "I did." He turned back to his brother. "I don't know why you're making such a fuss about this. You've _known_ that we're together. What did you think we've been doing all these months? Watching movies?"

"Certainly not--" Dori waved his hands ineffectually, though it was clear what he meant.

Dwalin glanced at Ori, wondering how he wanted to handle this. Ori rolled his eyes. "You might as well get used to the idea, Dori. We're quite happy together."

"You're so _young_ , though." Dori didn't seem to know where to look.

Ori rolled his eyes. "I'm twenty-five, Dori. I'm not a little kid anymore and I'd very much appreciate it if you started treating me like an adult."

Dori sighed heavily. "You're right. I _have_ been treating you like a kid lately and for that, I apologize." He looked at Dwalin, his brown eyes steely. "You be good to Ori. I served in the navy, so I can kick your ass."

"You'd have to work hard to do it." Dwalin grinned, amused by the threat. "I served in the army."

Next to Dwalin, Ori gave an exasperated sigh. "If you two are quite finished posturing?" He looked at his brother. "What brought you here?"

"I wanted to check on you and see if you'd like to go have lunch." Dori glanced at Dwalin. "Clearly, you have other plans, so we can do lunch another time."

Smiling, Ori stepped forward and hugged Dori. "We will, I promise."

"Good." Dori left after hugging Ori and shaking Dwalin's hand.


	24. Armulhem

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back to Balin and Dwalin's house for Ori and Dwalin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so very sorry this is so late. I forgot I had finished this chapter. ~~I also forgot where I found the references for the Khuzdul numbers.~~ I saved them in a file, so I corrected the name of the chapter. I think one more chapter to wrap things up. I just... lost interest for awhile there.

After lunch, Ori returned to Dwalin's house with him, perched on the back of his motorcycle with his arms tight around Dawlin's waist. When they entered, they found Ruan lounging on the sitting room couch, reading a book. "Shoes off the couch."

"They are off the couch." Ruan lifted his leg to show that his foot was dangling over the arm, the shoe nowhere near the upholstery.

Dwalin sighed and patted the upraised foot. "Doesn't matter. No shoes anywhere near the couch."

"Fiiiine." Rolling his eyes, Ruan set his book aside and sat up to take off his shoes as Dwalin peered into the kitchen. He blinked and smiled when he saw Ori hovering in the doorway. "Hey, Ori."

He gave a hesitant wave, encouraged by the boy's greeting. "Hey, Ruan."

"Where's Balin?" Dwalin turned back to his son, brow furrowed.

Ruan shrugged as he dropped his shoes onto the floor. "Dunno. Said he wouldn't be gone long."

"When did he leave?" Dwalin looked exasperated as Ruan stretched out across the couch once more.

Another shrug. "Just a few minutes before you two got here. I didn't pay attention to the time."

"Fat lot of help _you_ are." Grumbling, Dwalin pulled his phone out, presumably to text his brother.

"Are you joining us for dinner again?" Ruan asked the question as Ori moved to stand beside Dwalin.

He nodded, fidgeting with the strap of his laptop bag slung across his chest. "Yeah. If that's all right with you."

"'Course it is," Ruan rolled his eyes again. "I've wanted to meet you since Dad mentioned you the day I moved in."

Warmth suffused Ori's cheeks at the statement. If that was the case, then whatever he and Dwalin had fought about the previous night couldn't have been _him_. Dwalin saved him from formulating a reply. "You _have_? Why didn't you say anything sooner?"

"Figured he was trying to give us space to get to know each other." Ruan shrugged, marking his spot in his book.

Dwalin threw his hands in the air and sighed. "Teenagers."

"Parents." Ruan shot back with a grin. Clearly, this was a habitual exchange between the two.

Ruffling Ruan's hair, Dwalin headed into the kitchen. Shooting a mock glare at his father's departing back, the teenager sat up and looked at Ori. "Can I ask you a question?"

"I might not have an answer, but go ahead." Wondering what the boy could be curious about, Ori sat down beside him on the couch, setting his laptop bag on the coffee table.

Ruan fidgeted with his book for a moment before asking, "How did you know you were gay?"

'Well, it wasn't simply a matter of realizing I was looking at guys' asses instead of girls' tits," he replied with a chuckle, something in Ruan's eyes telling him this was more than simple curiosity. "Though that's what made me wonder." Toeing off his shoes, he drew his legs up to his chest. "Once I realized that's what I was doing, I really thought about it and did some research on the Internet." Some of which involved porn sites and masturbation, but he wasn't about tell _that_ to Ruan. "Though I do find women attractive to some extent, it's men who get my blood pumping."

The teenager remained quiet for a long moment after that, fidgeting with his book some more. All he said in the end was, "Thanks."

"You're welcome." Ori watched as he stood up, picked up his shoes, and headed down the hall to his bedroom.

Just as the door shut, Dwalin appeared with two cups of coffee. He looked around curiously. "Where's Ruan?"

"Went to his room." Ori stood up and accepted the mug Dwalin held out to him. "I think he needed some time to himself."

The front door opened then to admit two familiar figures: Balin and Dori.

* * *

"Long time, no see, Dori," Dwalin told him wryly.

The oldest Rison glared at him. "You know very that it hasn't been--"

"He's being sarcastic," Ori interrupted, rolling his eyes. "Are you joining us for dinner tonight, then?"

Dori blinked, glancing at Dwalin. "Us? Oh, I don't want to be in the way."

"Nonsense." Balin slid his arm around Dori's waist and kissed his cheek. "It'll be a nice family dinner with you here, too."

After a moment, Dori nodded. "Very well, if you insist."

"We do." Dwalin clapped Dori on his shoulder as Balin disappeared into the kitchen. "I'd like to get to know you, both as Ori's brother and Balin's boyfriend."

Glaring at Dwalin, he pushed his hand off his shoulder. "I suppose it would behoove me to get to know you as well."

"Don't strain yourself or anything." Ori snorted wryly. "I've been dating Dwalin for _months_ and you've known Balin for almost as long. Why haven't you gotten to know Dwalin before now?"

Dwalin sat down beside Ori, draping arm across his shoulders. "I think he hoped I would prove to be a passing fancy for you."

Much to Dwalin's gratification, Ori leaned into him without any hesitation. "Not very likely."

"That much I can see for myself." Dori smiled wryly, accepting the tea Balin offered him when he returned from the kitchen. "Where's Ruan?"

"Did someone say my name?" Ruan re-appeared then, still barefoot. "Oh, hi, Mr. Dori."

Dori shook his head, exasperated. "I've told you before that you don't need to say 'Mr', Ruan."

"I feel like I should." Ruan shrugged, and then looked at Dwalin. "May I have a soda?"

Dwalin nodded. "Sure. You know where they are."

"Thanks." Ruan headed into the kitchen, presumably to get his soda.

When he returned, the five of them settled in to have a nice chat. _He's Ori's brother. Try not to tug at his chain **too** much._


	25. Gamelhem

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pressing forward with the relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just tying things up here.

"Hey, Dad," Ruan greeted Dwalin when the latter returned from work a few months later.

"Hey, Ruan." Dwalin hung his raincoat up, shifting the bucket so it'd drip into that instead of on the floor. "Where's Ori?"

Ruan rolled his eyes. "Where else would be?"

Dwalin stifled a sigh. "Doing homework in his office. Right." After removing his boots, Dwalin padded down the hall to the room Ori had turned into his office when he'd moved in with them. As he'd expected, Ori sat cross-legged in his desk chair, a book open in his lap, glancing quickly between the book and his laptop screen as he typed away, slender fingers dancing over the keys. "Hey, Ori."

"Hey, Dwalin." Ori didn't look away from his work, his fingers never pausing in their dance. "How was work?"

He leaned against the doorjamb. "I missed you."

"That's good," Ori answered distractedly, frowning down at his book. Turning his chair, he reached for another book and opened it. After scanning it for a moment, he let out a frustrated sigh. "Damn, I wrote down the wrong information." He turned to his laptop and tapped a few keys. "There goes the last couple hours' worth of work."

Dwalin straightened up then, taking a few steps into the office. "Why don't you take a break, then? Give your brain a rest."

Blinking, Ori finally looked at Dwalin, surprised. "When did you get home?"

"A few minutes ago." Dwalin stifled a sigh. This happened frequently when Ori was in the middle of some project or paper for his classes. "C'mon, you need a break."

"No, I need to--" Ori shook his head, turning back to the computer. Without a word, Dwalin took hold of Ori's chair and tugged him away from the desk, out of reach of the computer. Ori stretched his arms and fingers, but Dwalin knew from experience how far to pull. "Dwalin! I have work to do!"

He gently wrapped his arms around Ori's shoulders and kissed the top of his head. "You also need to take breaks from your work so you don't make yourself sick. Just like when you work at the coffee shop."

Ori resisted for another moment before slumping back against Dwalin. "I hate when you use logic on me."

"You love me anyway." Dwalin kissed the top of his head again.

"Yes, yes I do." Ori tilted his head back with a tired smile.

Smiling, Dwalin kissed him softly. "Let's go get something to eat."

"Yeah, food sounds, actually." Ori carefully unfolded his legs and winced. "Fuck."

Dwalin raised an eyebrow at him. "Something wrong?"

"My feet fell asleep. I don't know if I can walk right now." Ori smiled sheepishly up at him.

Chuckling, Dwaling scooped Ori up into his arms and carried him down the hall to the kitchen. Once there, he set Ori in his usual seat at the kitchen table. "There. No need for walking."

"My hero."

* * *

Ori, Dwalin, and Ruan piled into Dwalin's car, pleasantly full from their dinner celebrating both Ori's graduation from grad school and Ruan's graduation from high school. "Are we too full for coffee and dessert?"

"Maybe just coffee for me," Ori replied, patting his stomach. Ever since that bad winter just before he'd met Dwalin, his appetite had been on the small side.

Ruan leaned forward from his seat in the back. "I'm up for dessert. Especially if it's something Uncle Bombur and Uncle Bifur made."

"Is that a hint?" Dwalin asked with a grin, never taking his eyes off the road.

"Not at all," Ruan retorted, completely deadpan, making both Dwalin and Ori laugh.

In next to no time, they'd parked at Durinson's Coffee. Ori stopped short when they entered, his eyes growing wide. Everyone who worked at or for Durinson's were gathered in the dining area: Thorin, Fíli, Kíli, Óin, Glóin, Bofur, Bombur, and Bifur. In front of _them_ stood Balin, Dori, and Nori all in a group holding a sign that said 'Congrats, Grads!'

"Wow!" Ruan exclaimed, his eyes shining as he looked around the room. "I wondered why we didn't see you at Uncle Dori's restaurant."

Bilbo appeared from the back room, quickly followed by Dís, Frerin, Kírin, Mizim, Gimli, Gimrís, and Alrís, each of them carrying platters of desserts. "That was for your friends. This is for your family."

"I'm-- this is so wonderful," Ori managed to choke out, finding Dwalin's hand with his and holding it tightly. "Thank you, everyone."

The desserts were placed on a buffet and they all scattered into small groups to talk and eat together. Everyone found time to stop and offer their congratulations to Ori and Ruan. Balin, Dori, Nori, and Bofur were the last to come by. Dori gathered Ori into a big hug. "I'm so proud of you, Ori."

"Thanks, Dori." Ori returned the hug with a sheepish smile. Though his oldest brother had gotten better about fussing over him, Ori doubted he would ever fully stop.

Nori clapped Ori's shoulder. "Bet you never expected all of this to come from ducking in here four years ago, hey?"

"A job and family just from trying to get in out of the rain? Not at all." Ori shook his head, still a little in awe that so much had resulted from that split second decision.

He turned when Dwalin took his hand. "There's something more that can come from it if you're willing." Ori gasped when Dwalin pulled a velvet-colored jewelry box out of his pocket. He opened it to reveal a ring made of rose gold with a single diamond set into the top. "Ori Rison, will you marry me?"

When he glanced at his brothers, Nori had a grin on his face and Dori looked a little tearful, but proud. Balin gave him a knowing smile and Ruan only nodded when Ori looked at him. Turning back to Dwalin, he smiled and said, "Yes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaand done! Thank you to everyone who left kudos and comments. When I sort my fics according to the number of kudos, this one is at the top. So thank you again. Also, Mizim, Gimrís, and Alrís are all references to Sansûkh by determamfidd. I highly recommend it, but be warned that it is Very Long. So worth reading, though.


End file.
